To the dismay of some critics and consumers, no iPhone 6 release date was announced, as Apple introduced its new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C at yesterday's press event.

Months before the release of the new iPhones, rumours sprung up that Apple will release the next-generation iPhone 6. However, the said smartphone went missing in action. Instead, the iPhone 5S and cheaper iPhone 5C headlined the press event.

Consumers were anticipating the revolutionary features of the next iPhone. However, many tech critics and reviewers, as well as Apple users, were disappointed about the recent launch, saying that the new iPhones lack wow factor that will make them game changers like in the past.

For many years, the iPhone has become the yardstick of smartphones in the market. However, competitors are slowly catching up with the tech giant by releasing smartphones with high-end specs and features and are sold cheaper than Apple's flagship phone.

The release of the new iPhones is very crucial to Apple's position in the market. Many critics stated that Apple has lost its spark since Steve Jobs passed away.

The full-fledged iPhone 5S comes with iPhone 5 specs and features along with minor additions such as the new 64-bit A7 processing chip with an accompanying M7 motion-sensoring chip and fingerprint sensor on the home button.

The iPhone 5S is available for $199 for 16 GB, $299 for 32 GB and $399 for 64 GB with the usual 2-year contract.

Meanwhile, the cheaper variant announced as the iPhone 5C boasts 4-inch retina display, dual-core A6 chip processor and 8 MP rear camera. The handset is available in blue, green, yellow, white and red plastic casing.

The iPhone 5C costs $99 for 16 GB and $199 for the 32 GB with 24-month lock-in period.

The iPhone 5S and 5C are bound for the U.S., the UK and Australian markets on September 20. Pre-orders will start on Friday, September 13.