The new iPhone 5c is finally official. After months of rumor and speculation, Apple has opted to introduce its latest smartphone today at a special event in Cupertino. CEO Tim Cook detailed the latest updates in iOS7, noting that Apple has been "hard at work completing iOS7" in time for its September 18th release, before inviting Phll Shiller on stage to unveiled the new iPhone 5c. It looks identical to the leaks and case parts we've seen recently, with a plastic back and a variety of colors.

A single piece of polycarbonate in a variety of colors

The back and sides of the device are made from a single part, with options for green, white, blue, pink, and yellow colors. Shiller claims you "won't see seams, or part lines, or joins," thanks to the hard-coated polycarbonate. Apple has also created custom cases with a soft-feel silicon rubber that slip onto the handset. The cases, priced at $29 each, also provide an additional color option on top of the regular colors of the iPhone 5c.

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Like the iPhone 5, Apple is shipping the iPhone 5c with a 4-inch Retina display, and its A6 processor. It has the same 8-megapixel rear camera, but Apple has opted for an improved FaceTime HD camera at the front that's designed for improved video calls and self portraits. The 5c also includes support for "more LTE bands that any other smartphone in the world," according to Apple, suggesting that this particular iPhone will launch broadly around the world.

"iPhone 5c is beautifully, unapologetically plastic."

In an introduction video detailing the design and engineering process for the iPhone 5c, Jony Ive says the "iPhone 5c is beautifully, unapologetically plastic." It's essentially an iPhone 5 inside a colored plastic shell with an improved front-facing camera and improved battery size that Apple is positioning at a lower cost than its new iPhone 5S. A 16GB model will be made available at $99, while a 32GB version is priced at $199. Apple will start taking pre-orders for the iPhone 5c on September 13th, and the device will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the UK on September 20th.

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