The iPhone is coming -- again!

The Apple hype machine is in full swing in preparation for the coming of the iPhone 5S or 5C (or whatever). Take a look at a few of the most-hyped phones in history.

James Martin Managing Editor, Photography

James Martin is the Managing Editor of Photography at CNET. His photos capture technology's impact on society - from the widening wealth gap in San Francisco, to the European refugee crisis and Rwanda's efforts to improve health care. From the technology pioneers of Google and Facebook, photographing Apple's Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai, to the most groundbreaking launches at Apple and NASA, his is a dream job for any documentary photography and journalist with a love for technology. Exhibited widely, syndicated and reprinted thousands of times over the years, James follows the people and places behind the technology changing our world, bringing their stories and ideas to life.

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James Martin

Aug. 27, 2013 4:00 a.m. PT

With the release of the next greatest iPhone coming in just a few weeks, Apple will (yet again) likely pull off what some might call the most-hyped product launch in tech history.
Whether you believe the rumors or not, as with so many other Apple product launches, we're seeing the product hype machine in full swing. What appear to be rumors and (unauthorized?) leaks have been swirling for weeks, stirring up a feeding frenzy the Silicon Valley tech press and the blogosphere can't ignore.
As launch day draws nigh -- it's looking more and more like Sept. 10 will be the day -- consumers too are salivating at the stats. But while the iPhone might be the most iconic digital device to get people swooning, it's is not the only phone to generate epic levels of buzz before launch.
So here's to highfalutin hype and grand expectations. Now let's a look back at some of the most high-profile phone launches -- and whether the phones lived up to their advance billing.

The most hyped phone launches ever (pictures)

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