Apple iPhone 6s

With a 12MP camera sensor, a new rose gold color and the 3D touch as they call it.

A expected, Apple announced the next versions of its best-selling smartphones at its annual launch event in San Francisco, the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. The design looks very similar to last year's devices iPhone 6 but Apple knocked-up the hardware specs.

Also, there is a new color called rose gold (same as the new Apple Watch color option that the company announced). But as far as looks go, this extra "shade" is the only visible change you'll be able to detect between this year's and last year's phones.

Apple's emphasis on hardware upgrades over design development follows the pattern that the Cupertino-based company has long established: significant changes come in the even years and incremental updates in the odd. It's a move that could alienate buyers as much cheaper "premium" handsets compete with titans like Apple for marketshare.

However, noticeable updates/upgrades to the new device iPhone 6S is the camera technology, the new form of pressure-sensitive navigation called 3D Touch, and a faster processor all combine to keep the next-generation phone looking competitive enough to counter other top-tier handsets as we approach the year-end holiday rush.

• Aerospace-grade aluminum and sturdier glass (prevent bending)

Apple says that its phone may look the same as last year's model, but its iPhone 6S duo has achieved more inner strength. This time it uses a different grade of aluminum for its chassis, one that's also used in the aerospace industry. They call it Series 7,000, and it's the same aluminum alloy Apple puts into its Apple Watch Sport. The company clearly hopes this reinforced material will help deflect against future "Bendgate" backlashes, where some customers complained that their 5.5-inch iPhone 6S phones"bent" after being sat on.

Apparently, a new type of chemically strengthened glass also tops the iPhone 6S, though the company hasn't confirmed if this is cover material from Corning's Gorilla Glass line or not.

• Brand new 'force' touch (call secondary menus)

Apple has included a variation of Force Touch, which you find in different capacities on the Apple Watch and on some Mac trackpads. Called 3D Touch here, the iPhone 6S phones will adopt the same pressure-sensitive capability that calls up secondary menus and actions when you press and hold the screen. Press down and you can pull up context-sensitive menus, switch apps, or examine photos. But it's a subtle riff on what already exists on iPhones: tapping and holding.

Another use is to access shortcuts from the home screen for your most frequent actions, say messaging a friend. And if you're in your email inbox, applying fingertip pressure to an element in the message will surface more information, like maybe the flight number on an emailed travel itinerary, for instance. (Apple called this concept "peeking in" during the live demo.)

Pressing harder on an app will likewise generate more options, like viewing all the photos of a contact's Instagram photo stream. In the context of a game, pressing harder could zoom you in to get closer to the action.

• Hardware

The biggest news here is the hugely upgraded front and rear cameras and video capability but also some other minor upgrades.

Cameras and video with more megapixels

A huge jump for Apple is the new 12MP camera sensor, which has been holding onto its 8MP sensors in its iPhone for years. Autofocus will pick up the pace, according to Apple, and color accuracy is a point of pride.

Apple also upgrades it's front facing camera sensor to a 5MP in order to compete with a lot of today's competing handsets. Of course, it includes the company's proprietary voice chat feature, FaceTime video. Here's something wildly different, though. Instead of including a dedicated flash for the front-facing camera, which only a few phones do, Apple is using the home screen to light up instead. This is meant to increase the brightness of those selfies even in low-light situations.

Apple also joins rival phone makers in including 4K video recording, at 3840x2160-pixel resolution. You'll be able to take 8MP camera photos while recording at this ultrahigh resolution. (Bare in mind that if you want to record in 4K video resolution you will only be able to watch the video quality on a display capable of displaying 4K image.)

Just like last year's phones, the iPhone 6S Plus is the only model here with optical image stabilization, which helps correct blur from shaking hands.

Touch ID

The second-generation sensor promises to snap open the phone faster than before. Hopefully fingerprint authentication will also speed up.

Processor

An upgraded processor by Apple is placed under the hood, this year called A9 processor that continues Apple's theme of mystery when it comes to exactly what's going on in there. Apple claims that the A9 is 70 percent faster than last year's A8 when it comes to the usual computing tasks (like opening an app, for example), and 90 percent faster at graphical tasks, like gaming.

Lastly the new device by Apple will use the latest iOS 9 which will be also available to the rest of the world on September 16 while the pricing and availability for the latest smartphones by Apple will be ready for preorder on September 12, with phones arriving in stores on September 25.

In the US, the 16GB version starts at $200 on contract (the 6S Plus will cost $300 on contract).

In the UK, the iPhone 6S costs £540 (16GB), £620 (64GB) and £700 (128GB). In contrast, the 6S Plus will go for £620, £700 and £790, respectively.

In Australia, the iPhone 6S costs AU$1,079 (16GB), AU$1,229 (64GB) and AU$1,379 (128GB). The 6S Plus will go for AU$1,229, AU$1,379 and AU$1,529, respectively.

Have a look at the video below introducing the devices with the new feature 3D Touch