iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s availability reaches 90 percent, now shipping in 3-5 days

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 6, 2013

Apple's flagship iPhone 5s used to be in short supply at both the company's own and carrier-owned retail outlets in the United States as suppliers struggled to meet high demand for the device. The prime reason affecting the handset's availability is Apple manufacturing partners' inability to ramp up production of the sensitive and sophisticated Touch ID fingerprint sensor that no one put inside the Home button before (this is also why the new iPads lack Touch ID).

Indicating improved yields, it would now seem that most of Apple's U.S. Apple Stores now have the device in stock, with one estimate finding that 90 percent of iPhone 5s models are now available in both Apple and carrier stores...

China Mobile to launch its 4G LTE network next month

Cody Lee ∙ Updated June 21, 2017

Rumors have been circulating for the past few weeks that China Mobile is on the verge of launching its LTE network next month. And it looks like the reports were true, as the news has been confirmed this week by state-run news outlet Xinhua.

This is big news for a couple of reasons. For one, this will be the country's first major rollout of 4G. And two, it means Apple will finally be able to start offering its two latest iPhone models on China Mobile, as they support its TD-LTE standard...

Incipio introduces new Touch ID-friendly, waterproof iPhone 5s case

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 24, 2017

Popular accessory-maker Incipio announced a new version of its Atlas iPhone case yesterday, called the Atlas ID. As the name suggests, the case is Touch ID-friendly and it provides the same protection from water and other elements as the previous Atlas model.

This is fairly significant, as there aren't many waterproof cases available for the iPhone 5s that work with the handset's built-in fingerprint reader. Most element-proof offerings cover the Home button completely, rendering the Touch ID feature effectively unusable...

How to switch to T-Mobile the right way

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

I recently reached the uneventful end to my two and a half year run with Verizon Wireless. After flirting with the possibility for a few weeks, I decided to take the jump, and port my phone numbers over permanently to T-Mobile. I guess you could say that I fell for a very effective marketing strategy, but it's hard to argue with the fact that I will be saving a bunch of money each month by switching.

My current Verizon bill is approximately $165 every month; that's with two iPhones, and an iPad. A comparable setup on T-Mobile should position me well within the $100 range, effectively saving me around the ballpark of $60 each month.

Granted, this isn't a cookie cutter solution for everyone; there's tons to consider before taking the plunge, but I think it will work out nicely for me. It could work out nicely for you too, as long as you take into consideration a few important points...

Unlocked SIM-free iPhone 5s now available in online US Apple Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 22, 2013

I no longer buy my smartphones subsidized because I just can't stand paying north of $2,000 in service fees over the course of my contract. Beginning with the iPhone 4s and onward, I've been purchasing my iPhones contract-free and unlocked. Of course, this means paying the full price upfront.

On the flip side, contract-free iPhones are unlocked out of the box, which gives me the freedom to switch carriers as easily as popping in another SIM card. Although a bunch of oversea markets have had the fully unlocked iPhone 5s for several weeks, Apple has now finally started selling the device in the United States through its online store...

iPhone 5s shipping times get even better

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

The iPad mini may still be somewhat hard to come by depending on your configuration, but at least Apple's other flagship device is improving when it comes to availability. Last week, we reported that iPhone 5s availability had improved to 1-2 weeks, which was good in itself; but today's 3-5 day availability is the best we've seen thus far, and bodes well for anyone wishing to snag an iPhone 5s in the short term.

Apple launches trade-in program in India to make older iPhones less expensive

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 4, 2016

India is home to 1.24 billion people. As such, the second most-populous nation (after China) is among the fast-growing markets for smartphones. Brazil, Russia, India and China have a collective population of nearly three billion people and as such these so-called BRIC markets are estimated to each overtake the United States in smartphone sales by 2018.

India is particularly important to Apple so Tim Cook & Co. in past few months rolled out a series of initiatives aimed at making it easier for cash-strapped consumers to purchase an iPhone. Apple's premium pricing strategy coupled with high import taxes and low average pay put the iPhone out of reach for many average Indians so the firm is now launching a new smartphone trade-in program in co-operation with local resellers...

AT&T selling 16GB iPhone 5s for $99 with 2-year contract

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Good news this weekend for folks looking to purchase a new iPhone. AT&T has discounted its 16GB iPhone 5s and both of its iPhone 5c models by 50%. This means you could score a 5s for as low as $99, or a 5c for $49.

Obviously, you'll have to sign a two-year contract with the carrier to get these prices. But the good news is that the discounts are instant, meaning that these are the prices you'll pay up front—no credits or gift cards here...

Good deal: 46% off iPhone 5/5s accessory bundle

Cody Lee ∙ November 16, 2013

Those of you having trouble figuring out what to get that special someone for Christmas this year, may want to consider smartphone accessories. This is something that they would use everyday, and they're usually fairly inexpensive.

In fact, as luck would have it, Stack Social has an awesome iPhone 5/5s accessory bundle going on right now that could take care of 3 people on your list. The deal site is offering 2 iPhone cases and a pair of earbuds for nearly half off...

DCMA’d iDevice stock-tracking tool gets mirrored at another website

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

With the iPhone 5s in high demand, still-constrained supply of the iPad Air and tight availability of the iPad mini with Retina display, getting your hands on one of Apple's latest iDevices isn't yet a simple matter of waltzing inside your nearest Apple Store and pulling a credit card out of your pocket.

A handful of web apps in existence provide iDevice availability information by repurposing Apple's online store data. But having taken a tough stance on scrapping its web store, Apple has recently dispatched its lawyers.

One of the first ones to bite the dust was the popular Apple-Tracker.com, which got shuttered shortly after receiving a takedown notice from Apple's legal team. Not content with going down without a fight, administrator Mordy Tikotzky has released the website code into the wild, allowing others to make web-based inventory-checker tools...

iPhone 5c supply cuts, iPad losing revenue game, overpriced iPhones… It must be a Friday.

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 4, 2016

What better way to manipulate AAPL than trash-talk the company on a Friday and let bloggers disseminate FUD? First, UBS analyst Steve Milunovich articulated his disappointment with iPad sales because the tablet in general "simply isn’t a must-have device" (I swear I'm not making this up).

Next, Henry Blodget (who runs Business Insider) is back with his 'iPhone dead in the water' meme: Apple's refusal to go for low-value customers has been ticking Blodget off for some time, even if the move carries the real risk of damaging the brand beyond repair.

Then, a Chinese blog asserts Apple is further trimming the iPhone 5c production as early adopters continue to prefer the flagship iPhone 5s. Finally we have Morgan Stanley creatively putting all of the Android tablets together - including those sold on the Moon plus sub-$50 no-names sitting in the drawer collecting dust - to proclaim Google's platform a revenue winner.

Grab your popcorn and chillax...

Walmart’s Black Friday sale: $100 gift card with iPad mini purchase, $75 with iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 16, 2018

And they're off! With Black Friday now just a few weeks away, retailers have begun teasing their after-Thanksgiving-day sales in hopes of convincing hordes of customers to visit their stores on the busiest shopping weekend of the year.

We've already seen a preview of Target's sale, which offers the 16GB Wi-Fi iPad Air for $479 with a free $100 gift card, and other discounts. And now, Walmart has published a snippet of its Black Friday specials showing a similar offer...