Apple sold over nine million of its iPhone 5s and 5c last weekend, completely selling out of its own stock and leaving an ambiguous “October” shipping date for online orders. Last year, the iPhone 5 sold five million units in its opening weekend, but the debut of two phones does not justify the numbers. The iPhone 5s makes up roughly 7.5 million of those units sold this weekend, proving that the hype is real.
No other phone or even iPhone has ever generated this much buzz.
Only Apple has been able to validate news coverage of its product launches year after year, even when the products themselves aren’t worthy of the coverage. With the iPhone 5s, Apple released an incremental update to the iPhone 5, a pattern that goes back to the iPhone 3GS. Better camera technology, a new motion sensor, a faster processor and a fingerprint scanner to differentiate the 5s from the 5, changes that show history repeats itself. The iPhone 5s is the third time Apple has made no design changes to an iPhone and added a few extra features.
When Apple released the iPhone 4S and then 5, the previous iterations’ price went from $199 to $99. This year, however, Apple released the iPhone 5c. Calling the iPhone 5c a “new” model is a mysnomer: the only differences between the 5 and the 5c are a slightly larger battery and the new colored plastic backing, which was designed only to optimize production to meet demand faced by offering the previous model at a lower cost.
Yet with little improvements and slight design changes, Apple has captured the world’s attention. But I’m guilty too. I fully admit that I’m an Apple fanboy. I followed live updates closely of the September 12 event, updated to iOS 7 at exactly noon on Friday, and I’ve studied the details of the new phones more than I’ve studied for my classes.
The Atlantic‘s Ian Bogost put it best when he said that Apple is more in the fashion industry than the tech industry. Their products are undeniably sexy and those who have the latest product are the envy of all their friends. People were even posting screenshots of their iOS 7 update, as if they had exclusive access to the free download. Sleek design and minimalist advertising has been Apple’s strategy since the Apple II, a strategy so simple, yet unimitable. Except for luxury car companies and Starbucks, no company outside of the fashion industry has been able to make their products a status symbol. Unlike car companies, however, at only $199, an iPhone will set you among the cool kids. iPhone owners will agree that having an Android or Windows Mobile device is like wearing jorts (outside of game day)…there’s really no excuse.
But does Apple envy really matter?
No. Your iPhone 4S will perform all the same tasks as the iPhone 5c. They run all the same apps and have all the basic features. Both phones will let you drunk text strings of emojis, Instagram your PSL, send adult SnapChats and explain to your grandparents over FaceTime that you haven’t met a nice Jewish girl yet.
If you have the 4S and your contract is up, definitely upgrade. In either phone you’ll enjoy a bigger screen, 4G LTE, a better camera and a faster processor. If you have the 5, you’re most likely not eligible for an upgrade and you’re probably not going to think the $700 price tag is worth it. And if you have a phone before the 4S, take your cheap ass to Best Buy and get the 4S. It’s free now.
Photo courtesy of: CultMac
