With the iPhone 5 having just been announced, many of you will be desperate to get your hands on the device, and Apple has just revealed it will be available to preorder from September 14th, which is the coming Friday, while shipping is set for September 21st.
16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models cost $199, $299, and $399 respectively with a two-year contract from AT&T, Verizon or Sprint. The iPhone 5 will be available in two colors – black and white.
From September 14th it is available for pre-order in the following countries: United States, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore. In more countries on 28th September, and in over 100 more countries in December.
With a significantly altered design offering a thinner form factor and longer display, it appeases those looking for a change from the iPhone 4/4S look, and also those perfectly content with the previous structure.
The pre-orders will surely sell like hot cakes, and there’s little doubt we’ll see consumers arriving en masse at store opening times on 14th. As with the Call of Duty franchise, queuing for the latest and greatest Apple gadget has become something of an institution among devotees, and I’m sure many of you reading this will be a part of the many Apple Retail Store scrums.
Personally, I’ll be holding off for a little while yet. Not because I don’t really, really want an iPhone 5, but mainly due to my skepticism in being one of those early adopters. When a new device releases, there is usually some sort of issue with the first batch (battery of iPhone 4S, antenna of iPhone 4), so I believe it’s always wise to take a step back and allow companies – in this case, Apple – to iron out the kinks and bugs before spending heaps on a fundamentally flawed gadget.
Still, one has to wonder, as a side note, whether Apple will take steps to prevent some consumers purchasing several of the device in one go, and selling them online for huge profit. Often, buyers are snapped outside Apple Stores on launch day with several of a device, and once the first wave of availability has passed (usually a matter of days), many are left with no choice but to purchase online – often at double the cost or more.
Having seen the new device and all of its features, has Apple done enough to warrant your parting of your hard-earned cash? Or will you be sticking with your current device for the time being?
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