The iPhone 5S Hasn't Been Officially Announced, Already Has Line

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The iPhone 5S Hasn't Been Officially Announced, Already Has Line

Posted by samzenpus on Monday September 9, 2013 @05:24AM from the but-I-want-it-now dept.

Daniel_Stuckey writes "The iPhone 5S line has already begun, despite Apple not even having made its announcement yet. From the looks of the invite to the unveiling in San Francisco on Sept. 10 (and another event the following day in Beijing, where iPhones are all the rage), the company will not only be announcing a next generation iPhone, the 5S, but also the lower-priced 5C model, in a variety of cheaper-looking colors."

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reality show rejects by jaymz666 · 2013-09-09 05:26 · Score: 5, Insightful

At this point, the only reason to line up for an iDevice is to get on TV. This is not different to survivor or Big Brother.
1. Re:reality show rejects by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-09 05:33 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  This is not different to survivor or Big Brother.
  Sure it is. All you can win on line at Apple is an iPhone. And by "win" I mean pay the same amount as anybody else.
2. Re:reality show rejects by ackthpt · 2013-09-09 05:38 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  At this point, the only reason to line up for an iDevice is to get on TV. This is not different to survivor or Big Brother.
  In my line of work we take a dim view of being on the bleeding edge of technology. These people are not simply embracing it, but doing so for their own personal reasons i.e. Be first on the block to have one (which is a damn silly thing to do with a considerable investment, which most iPhones are.)
  I was burned on a new car model years ago so I sit back and wait to see how things turn out before committing my own hard won dollars (and even then, as I'm a pre-paid customer, I buy the handset outright.)
  
  --
  
  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
3. Re:reality show rejects by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-09 05:51 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  You can win an iPhone online? Sounds like a scam.
4. Re:reality show rejects by tipo159 · 2013-09-09 05:57 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Well, your one bad experience buying a new model car years ago should certainly keep us all away from buying new items at launch ...
  I have had a lot of first model year cars and I have found them to be no more likely to have issues than subsequent model years. Actually, of the cars that I collect, I usually prefer first model year cars because they usually have quirky or interesting features that are dropped because they were judged not popular enough or cost-reduced out.
  I have a first generation iPad and iPod touch from the initial launches of both products. Other than Apple abandoning iOS support for the products (and recently the battery on the iPod touch), I have had no issues with them.
  But, if the rumors hold true, the products that Apple will launch tomorrow are going to evolutions (or devolutions) of products that have been out for years, not truly new products, so I don't understand how your point applies.
5. Re:reality show rejects by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2013-09-09 05:59 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Those QuBids ads I keep getting in my spam folder tell me I can get an iPad or iPhone for only $8! It's so crazy it has to be true!
  
  --
  #DeleteChrome
6. Re:reality show rejects by ackthpt · 2013-09-09 06:18 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  I'm familiar with the First Year Collector thing, but I doubt there are any collectors items among iPhones, which tend to sell quite a lot of the exact same model on the first day, before the hue and cry over defects or such result in an adjustment in production.
  Cars may or may not sell a lot on first issue and generally going out and buying will result in some unhappy experiences, though your experience may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, some being much better at rolling out a truly finished product and others rushing out a model which will have a laundry list of recalls.
  My car was such a dud it wasn't made for many years and resulted in one of the greatest financial setbacks for the manufacturer. The engineers did a fine job designing it, the assembly line did a terrific job of putting it together, but the bean-counters who sourced the parts and figured ways to shave costs doomed it. If they had gone with the original engineers plans it would have been a hit and my car would have been worth a small fortune for being very early off the production line.
  It's a much better position to be in to watch how a new car rolls out and is met by the market. A successful launch of a quality car may mean you have to pay a little of a premium to get one of the early batch, but you avoid getting burned.
  Regarding antenna issues, battery heating up issues, other shortcomings of Apples rather trendsetting iPhones should by now curb some enthusiasm for the wary. Fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me sorta fing.
  
  --
  
  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
7. Re:reality show rejects by geekoid · 2013-09-09 06:27 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  How long do you have that Edsel?
  
  --
  The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
8. Re:reality show rejects by Jerslan · 2013-09-09 06:57 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Because there was absolutely no press coverage of an impending update and/or new model until just now... They've been speculating wildly about the 6/5S since the 5 came out last year. Even it's release date, which hasn't actually been announced yet, is expected to be later this month. If you bought an iPhone 5 and feel cheated because a new model came out a couple months later? You can really only blame yourself for not doing adequate market research before buying a mobile phone...
9. Re:reality show rejects by SydShamino · 2013-09-09 07:08 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Sure it is. All you can win on line at Apple is an iPhone. And by "win" I mean pay the same amount as anybody else.
  Actually, per TFA the first two people in line have been "bought out" by a third-party Apple reseller, and now sport the company's logo on their shirts, and, in exchange, will now have their phones (plural, two each) paid for by the company.
  So... yeah, they won the advertising game and now get their phones for free.
  
  --
  It doesn't hurt to be nice.
10. Re:reality show rejects by cayenne8 · 2013-09-09 07:17 · Score: 2
  
  Not only that, but George Lucas held off on DVD issue of Star Wars for a very long time. In the case of your Laserdisc you did have something with value others could buy, but not easily after Laserdiscs waned from the market.
  I actually have my original Star Wars Trilogy laserdisc set...is nice to pull out every once in awhile, is is letterbox format, and before Lucas started messing with the film, old explosions, Han still shoots first, no extra characters added to scenes later, and at the end, old Anakin with Yoda and Ben....not the young kid spliced in from the prequels.
  Hmm...I might have to look and dig out the old LD player and that box set for a watch.
  
  --
  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
11. Re:reality show rejects by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-09 09:26 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  As evident by the iCultists lining up for an iPhone 5S before it's been announced and before they know what it is.
12. Re:reality show rejects by AmiMoJo · 2013-09-09 09:31 · Score: 2
  
  "Free" as in "have to stand in line for days".
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
13. Re:reality show rejects by vux984 · 2013-09-09 10:14 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  My car, on the other hand, had great styling and the early prototypes were wowing the press with its performance and features.
  Is there a reason you've got 2 posts on it now without actually naming the vehicle/model/year? :)
How about a 'duh' tag by onyxruby · 2013-09-09 05:36 · Score: 4, Insightful

Apple will release a new version of their phone, and another one about a year after that and will keep doing so for as long as there is money to be made doing so. This is no different from any other manufacturer releasing new versions of their products - it's what they do. Why people ever act surprised when there's a new shiny version of 'X' has got to be one of life's great mysteries.
Next years surprise, Ford releases the 2015 model of the Focus! Shocking! Who could ever see that coming? What do you mean the entire industry does this every single year?
Hmmmm .... by gstoddart · 2013-09-09 05:38 · Score: 4, Interesting

but also the lower-priced 5C model, in a variety of cheaper-looking colors
WTF does that even mean?
Purple used to be reserved for Royalty I think, but I'm not sure I follow what 'cheaper-looking colors' is supposed to even mean.
Do we have some sort of chart which shows which color looks more expensive than another? Because I've never heard of this.

--
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
1. Re:Hmmmm .... by Sponge+Bath · 2013-09-09 05:41 · Score: 2
  
  WTF does that even mean?
  It means the submitter is a biased click whore.
2. Re:Hmmmm .... by sl4shd0rk · 2013-09-09 06:43 · Score: 2
  
  WTF does that even mean?
  You have to translate while looking down your nose. It basically means if you don't have the 5S they won't let you in the tree house.
  
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  Join the Slashcott! Feb 10 thru Feb 17!
3. Re:Hmmmm .... by Radish03 · 2013-09-09 06:49 · Score: 2
  
  I think Apple's iphone color chart looks something like this (albeit with rounded corners and a faux-beveled overlay)
  Expensive:
  Clear, Metal, Black, White, Gold
  Reserved for dirt poor plebs:
  Every other color
Re:Apple stagnation by the+computer+guy+nex · 2013-09-09 05:39 · Score: 2

Not innovative enough for a new model number huh?
Not sure why Innovation is tied to model numbers? But anyways the Apple 'S' releases have traditionally focused more on software (Siri, bio metrics) than major hardware redesigns. Not sure why Apple would want to do major 4S->5 redesigns every year.
Re:So? by geminidomino · 2013-09-09 05:40 · Score: 4, Funny

thrice a day, ery day
You should probably back away from the computer when you do. Your keys are starting to stick.
Publicity Stunt, Please ignore. by clinko · 2013-09-09 05:43 · Score: 5, Insightful

This is a publicity stunt by a company that sells macs or something. I'm not looking up what they do.
Summary:
1) 4 guys get printed shirts with company logos and lines up crazy early.
2) Vice / Gizmodo / engadget / Slashdot talks about them, with pictures of them in their shirts. Make sure you're still there for the NBC crew shows up!
3) Profit!
Please tell me it is even taller/longer by h4rr4r · 2013-09-09 05:47 · Score: 4, Interesting

Please tell me this thing is even taller, I want the iPhone to end up looking like one of those satellite tv remotes.
Survey says... by djupedal · 2013-09-09 05:53 · Score: 4, Insightful

It's a safe bet everyone is just looking for clicks and eyeballs, /. included.
Re:Apple stagnation by afidel · 2013-09-09 05:59 · Score: 3, Insightful

5C is 5 China, it's their bid to gain major penetration into the worlds largest cellphone market.

--
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Re:Apple stagnation by mrsquid0 · 2013-09-09 06:00 · Score: 5, Funny

The letters refer to the demographic they are being sold to.
S - suckers
C - chumps

--
Just because you are paranoid does not mean that no-one is out to get you.
Re:Apple stagnation by ArcadeMan · 2013-09-09 06:46 · Score: 2

I'm going to wait for the iPhone 5PBH.
In fact, forget the P and the B!

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Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
But also the lower-priced 5C model by jeffmflanagan · 2013-09-09 07:02 · Score: 2

"in a variety of cheaper-looking colors."

So now even the people writing /. summaries fall into the trap of thinking their preferences apply to everyone.

There must be something wrong with me to keep me coming to a site that's been this far gone for this long, just because it used to make me better informed years ago before it crashed and burned.
Re:Apple stagnation by puto · 2013-09-09 08:39 · Score: 4, Interesting

Little revisionist history? Which is not unexpected from an Iphone fan. Siri was an app that originally worked on all iphones, then Apple bought them, integrated it into the phone, and then killed the original app and its back end so it would stop functioning, so you had to get a 4s for it. Funny, how their were no mic issues before, when it was a third party app.

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The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Re:Apple stagnation by _xeno_ · 2013-09-09 09:16 · Score: 5, Informative

Funny, how their were no mic issues before, when it was a third party app.
Not to mention that some jail-breakers were able to figure out exactly how Siri was disabled on the iPhone 4 and re-enable it and - surprise surprise, Siri works just fine on the 3GS and 4.

--
You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.