Via KnowYourMobile, Phones4U are reporting that demand for the iPhone 5s and 5c has already surpassed that of the iPhone 5. Although this is the first year that Apple is offering two models of iPhone, which would naturally boost interest, the fact that this milestone has happened so soon is surprising. Phones4U say that growth in pre-registrations is already double what it was for the iPhone 5 for the same period. The company predicts that the phones will set their record for most handset pre-registrations ever.
The iPhone 5C became available for pre-order this morning. Certain SKU’s of the phone have already sold out.
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Doomed.
So how are they able to judge the demand for the 5S without preorders?
It is highly possible that many people don’t understand that they are putting pre-orders for 5c instead of 5s. That confusion will play nicely in Apples favor.
There are the formal, Apple-authorized pre-orders that start at a specific date and time as authorized by Apple. But then there are unauthorized brokers and resellers that also accept pre-orders, albeit at a premium.
Example: If you want to pre-order a 5s today, you can order one through me. I guarantee that you’ll get one of the first ones out of the factory. And I’ll charge you a $100 premium.
I don’t really offer pre-orders, so don’t get to excited. But this is an example of how the gray market works for very popular items such as iPhone and shoes. These 3rd parties perform a service that isn’t offered through official channels. But their pricing and their demands are very real markets, backed by the economics of supply and demand.
I doubt people are placing pre-orders for the 5c thinking they are pre-ordering the 5s. The 16gb 5c is $99 while the 16gb 5s is $100 more, and they both come in different colors.
Micro… Micro what? What’s that?
pathetic…