Don't forget, Apple says: iPhone 5S and 5C launch Friday
The company, however, still hasn't released any preorder figures for the iPhone 5C. Meanwhile, its iOS 7 update will be available to existing devices Wednesday.
- SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
In case you somehow forgot, Apple wants to remind you that its iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are going on sale on Friday.
The company reiterated the launch day in a press release issued Tuesday. Its newest mobile operating system, iOS 7, will be available for download on existing devices on Wednesday.
Apple has yet to release preorder figures for the iPhone 5C, the more budget-friendly of the two new iPhones. The 5C was made available for advance order on Friday. The iPhone 5S was not made available for preorder.
The company typically releases its advance order figures the Monday after a device becomes available on preorders , and the lack of an announcement yesterday caused many to wonder if the iPhone 5C didn't live up to past performance.
Last year, Apple boasted that preorders for the iPhone 5 topped 2 million within the first 24 hours. At the time, Apple's Web site was overwhelmed by the orders and the carrier stores quickly began pushing back their delivery estimates.
But this year is different. While the iPhone 5C comes in different colors and is $100 less than the higher end iPhone 5S, many people are likely waiting for the iPhone 5S. That will make a for a difficult direct numerical comparison between last year's iPhone 5, which was the only new iPhone available, and this year's pair of new iPhones.
The iPhone 5 also offered more significant changes, including a larger display and a 4G LTE connection, from the previous version. The iPhone 5C uses essentially the same specifications as the iPhone 5, but comes in a colorful plastic body. The iPhone 5S gets a faster 64-bit processor, fingerprint sensor, and a new gold color option.
Both the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will be available starting Friday in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK. Sales will begin at 8:00 a.m. local time at Apple's retail stores and at 12:01 a.m. PT via Apple's online store, and the devices will also be available through various carriers.
