iPhone · Retina & Beyond · 2013
iPhone 5S
A quiet landmark: the A7 made it the first 64-bit smartphone, catching rivals flat-footed, and Touch ID made fingerprint unlock effortless and normal.
iPhone 5S: key facts
When was the iPhone 5S released?
The iPhone 5S was released in September 20, 2013. Apple discontinued it in March 2016.
How much did the iPhone 5S cost?
The iPhone 5S launched at $649 in 2013 — about $893 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the iPhone 5S’s specs?
The iPhone 5S used a Apple A7 running at 1.30 GHz, with 1 GB of memory and 16 GB of storage. It ran iOS 7.
Why does the iPhone 5S matter?
First 64-bit phone chip (A7), first Touch ID fingerprint sensor, first M-series motion coprocessor.
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple A7 · 1.30 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 2 |
| Memory (RAM) | 1 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB |
| Display | 4" Retina LCD, 1136×640 |
| GPU | PowerVR G6430 |
| Ports | Lightning, 3.5 mm |
| Weight | 112 g |
| Dimensions | 123.8×58.6×7.6 mm |
| Operating system | iOS 7 |
| Released | September 20, 2013 |
| Discontinued | March 2016 |
| Launch price | $649 |
How the iPhone 5S compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 16× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 1.30 GHz, the clock is roughly 2.5× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 4,100 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $649 in 2013 — about $893 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
Rivals publicly dismissed 64-bit as a "gimmick" — then scrambled to catch up.
Related iPhone models
Open the iPhone 5S in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-25