Apple has unveiled two new iPhone models, as it tries to claw back market share from rival manufacturers.

The technology giant first revealed the iPhone 5C, which comes in five colours and is made of plastic.

It replaces the current iPhone 5 - which has been retired just a year after being released - with virtually identical specifications.

The 5C - the C is supposed to represent 'colour' rather than 'cheap' - is supposedly aimed at the lower end of the market, but starting at a price of £469, is just £80 cheaper than the flagship 5S model, which was also revealed.

The 5S comes with a 64-bit processor - the first smartphone to do so, according to Apple - and a fingerprint reader, which removes the need for passcodes to use the handset.

The iPhone 5S comes in three colours - white, gold and grey - which Apple describes as Space Grey to make it seem more interesting - and the body is made of aluminium.

The 16GB 5S will be available for £549, with a top-end 64GB version being £709.

Both the 5C and the 5S are 4G enabled, and will be available to purchase from September 20.

Meanwhile, the 4S, which was released two years ago, will now be the bottom of the iPhone range, costing £349 for an unlocked 8GB version.

The mobile networks have yet to reveal the price of the phones when bought as part of a contract.