Where is the iPhone 5S available?
It’s actually available practically everywhere. Obviously, it’s that’s not quite true if you want to pick one up today. The iPhone 5S gold and silver models are in short supply everywhere. Which means the space grey version is out there and more readily available. If space grey isn’t the most desirable, it’s time to cast a wider gaze.
Sure, all the major cell phone providers have them available in their stores…to order. Stores like Target show the 5S phones only available in stores and list the iPhone 5S in Gold and Silver for all the major cell phone carriers. Is Wal-Mart a better option? Not really. The web site lists a very unhelpful “Available in stores only.” Articles around the internet suggest Wal-Mart had few or none of the iPhone 5S model on hand at launch.
Apple Stores? Pretty much cleaned out by people waiting in line. However, the silver and space grey models are available online with a guaranteed delivery of 7-10 days. Gold? That’s expected to deliver some time in October. Still, Apple should have the biggest supply of anyone, so the space grey iPhone 5S 16GB or 32GB models are more likely to be available.
One little known option is walking into a Radio Shack and getting an iPhone 5S there. The retailer carries iPhones for all the major cell carriers, but doesn’t get anywhere near the hype and traffic that other walk-in stores do. Best Buy is also not usually crowded on launch days. However, all the carriers and brick and mortar stores are expecting only a small supply of the iPhone 5S space grey phones, mostly 16GB and 32GB size. Anything else, and the retailers will likely not have them for the foreseeable future. Some stores got NO shipments of iPhone 5Ses on launch day.
If money isn’t an option, hello eBay! The online auction site has gold iPhones with 64Gb readily available for $1,700 and up to $2,300. That’s about twice to three times the list price of $849 to order the same unlocked iPhone from Apple. Get it with a cell carrier other than T-Mobile, and it’s only $399 with a two-year contract. But shopping around on eBay, there are some slightly less expensive iPhone 5S 64GB gold models available – like $1,009 – that’s only $260 above retail, which seems like one of the best bargains to get a gold iPhone 5S today.
eBay is filled with other iPhone 5S models too! The space grey (which doesn’t sound like it’s even out of stock in the brick and mortar stores) is selling at premium prices about $60 to $300 above retail for the 16GB model; expect even higher premiums for the 32GB and 64GB models. There’s a plethora of Gold and Silver in 16GB and 32GB sizes as well. Again, all of it well above retail. If money is no option, then an iPhone 5S is available in any color or memory size on eBay.
Can an iPhone 5S still be purchased today? In short, to get an iPhone 5S at a brick and mortar store today, the best option may be to call ahead to check on availability. Order it from eBay at a premium price and get it as soon as tomorrow. Order it online somewhere else and wait anywhere from 7 days to an unannounced date in October for delivery.
Did you manage to get an iPhone 5S today? Let us know how fun that experience was in the comments below!
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