When the iPhone 5 was unveiled on September 14th, it took less than 24 hours for Apple to receive 2 million pre-orders for the new device. This amount more than doubled the company’s previous pre-order record. Shipments of the phone were supposed to start on September 21st and U.S. retailers will also receive the phone that same day. However, recently, it was announced that shipments of the phone may be delayed up to a month. Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint, all of which have 4G capabilities, will all carry the iPhone 5.
In a statement from Apple:
“iPhone 5 pre-orders have shattered the previous record held by iPhone 4S and the customer response to iPhone 5 has been phenomenal,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 5 is the best iPhone yet, the most beautiful product we’ve ever made, and we hope customers love it as much as we do.”
Apple fans might remember that there has been buzz about the iPhone 5 ever since 2011 when it’s predecessor, the iPhone 4S was released among rumors of an ailing Steve Jobs. It was speculated the iPhone 4S was going to be called the iPhone 5, but that did not come to fruition. Thus, since that time, many people have apparently been holding off on buying the iPhone 4S in anticipation of the iPhone 5 being released. This seems to be reinforced by the strong pre-order numbers that are currently out.
The iPhone 5 SIM card is smaller than in previous phones, so the phone itself will also be thinner than before, but have a larger screen than previous iPhones. The phone is also made out of glass and aluminum, which is a departure from other phones currently on the market.
Compatibility Issues
While Apple claims that the response to the iPhone 5 has been “phenomenal”, there also seems to be complaints already festering in public opinion. One big concern is with the Lightning Connector cord. Since the beginning all iPhones released have shared a common connector cord. This was seen as an Apple advantage for many consumers who wanted to upgrade their phone, but liked the idea of not having to buy a new connector cord every time. It also kept the capability with other iPhone peripherals like speakers, stands, clocks, car-kits, chargers, etc. Here is one every day example on why the Ligtning Connector cord might be a problem as found on ReadWriteWeb.com:
The CEO of a Dallas-based hotel chain who just bought 600 clock radios with iPhone docks. Now he doesn’t know whether to stick with what he has and stock adapters, or replace the radios with iPhone 5-compatible ones. And what’s the right choice for the 400 new rooms his chain is building?
Apple says that the solution is a $30 adapter that can be purchased. While this will work with cable connections, as stated previously, it might not work as well with the cradle-type peripherals. According to the company, the new connector was essential to being able to make the iPhone 5 lighter and thinner.
What do you think? Are you already on the iPhone 5 preorder list or are you devoted to your Android or other device?
Eric Wagner Marketing keeps you updated on all of the latest information from Apple and other tech-related information. Pic Credits: Yutaka Tsutano
