iPhone 5S U.S. Release Date: What Not to Expect

Th Apple iPhone 5S release date is getting closer and the company is heavily rumored to be releasing the device on September 20th shortly after a September 10th launch event. While nothing is set in stone, consumers in the United States should start setting some expectations about the approaching iPhone 5S U.S. release date.

Nothing is set in stone just yet in regard to the iPhone 5S release date but we’ve seen all of the tell tale signs. First, AllThingsD, widely believed to be a mouthpiece for Apple, reported that the iPhone 5S would launch on September 10th. This was in turn backed up by The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple who gave the date his well known ‘Yep’ all but confirming the date.

For its part, Apple has yet to send out any invitations even as the day gets closer. We should see invitations for a September 10th launch event at some point soon, likely within the month of August.

It’s at that event that we’ll see Apple show off the iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5 successor, and likely the iPhone 5C as well. The iPhone 5C is expected to be a cheaper iPhone model aimed at taking on budget Android devices. The spotlight will of course be on the iPhone 5S and its hardware, software, pricing, carriers and release date.

In particular, shoppers in the United States are keen on finding out exactly when Apple will be releasing the iPhone 5S. Typically, the company obliges with a concrete release date for its iPhone and thus, we expect to find out if September 20th is indeed the iPhone 5S’ release date.

Ahead of the announcement, we’ve taken a look at what to expect from the iPhone 5S release date both on a broad scale and on a much smaller one. We’ve taken a look at what to expect, specifically, from the iPhone 5S U.S. release date and now, it’s time to take a look at what not to expect when the new iPhone touches down in the United States later this year.

Small, Pre-Paid Carriers on Day One

The first thing that buyers in the United States should not expect from the iPhone 5S release date is for it to land on one day across all carriers. Yes, as we’ve pointed out, the device should land on one day for the five major carriers including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon. Those looking at smaller carriers and pre-paid carriers will most likely have to wait though.

Last year, we saw smaller carriers like C Spire Wireless get the iPhone 5 though, it got the device a week after its initial release date in the U.S. Like C Spire, Cricket Wireless got the iPhone 5 on September 28th as well. Don’t expect anything to change with this. Expect the major carriers to get the initial release date with smaller carriers like C Spire and Cricket, getting a secondary release date.

We should also see the iPhone 5S arrive on tiny regional carriers in the United States, but they should get the device even later than the likes of C Spire and Cricket.

Unlocked iPhone 5S

Last year, the iPhone 5 was released on September 21st in six different flavors. However, the release did not see the arrival of a factory unlocked version of the iPhone 5. Apple did not tag it with a specific release date, leaving prospective buyers wondering when they might be able to get their hands on one.

The unlocked iPhone 5S will likely not arrive on day one.

Instead of a short wait, buyers had to wait until November 29th before the unlocked iPhone 5 went on sale on the Apple Store. While no official reason was given, supply issues likely played a role as Apple wanted to ensure that non-unlocked models were in supply before it put the unlocked model on sale.

Given the history and given the rumors of supply shortages with the iPhone 5S, consumers should not expect the unlocked iPhone 5S to go on sale on day one. It may not take as long as it did last year but don’t expect it to hit shelves alongside the other devices on day one.

Gold iPhone 5S Exclusive

Samsung loves to release different colors for its flagship devices. The Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2 in particular come in a number of unique hues. Problem is, Samsung limits many of those colors to certain regions and worse, it often limits colors to specific carriers. For instance, Sprint has an exclusive on a purple Galaxy S4 in the U.S.

Don’t expect any gold iPhone exclusives.

Apple is rumored to be releasing a new iPhone 5S color with the usual black and white options. This new gold iPhone 5S appears to be all but confirmed for arrival and when it does arrive, expect it to be available in the United States across carriers. Apple doesn’t play the same exclusive game that Samsung does so don’t expect to see the gold iPhone 5S become available on AT&T or Verizon only.

All iPhone 5S Options At Retailers

Many consumers will be heading down to a retailer either on release day or sometime after it to pick up an iPhone 5S. And while retailers should have some stock available, don’t expect them to have everything.

Most retailers will likely carry the iPhone 5S for major carriers like AT&T, Sprint and Verizon but we could see retailers opt not to carry the T-Mobile iPhone 5S and the U.S. Cellular iPhone 5S.

Retailers likely won’t have all iPhone 5S options available.

For instance, RadioShack doesn’t have the T-Mobile iPhone 5 on sale. Best Buy doesn’t have the T-Mobile HTC One for sale. Neither of them has any U.S. Cellular devices on sale.

So don’t expect to walk into a big retailer like Best Buy or RadioShack and have all iPhone 5S options available. Perhaps once the smoke has settled we’ll see them offer every combination under the sun but on release day, things will be limited.

Easy to Find 16GB Black iPhone 5S

Do not expect the black 16GB iPhone 5S to be easy to find. Last year, Verizon told us that their most popular device on release day was the 16GB black iPhone 5. At several locations, we found the 16GB iPhone 5 either sold out or in scarce supply. In our experience, the black model was the most difficult to find.

The black 16GB iPhone typically vanishes first.

This year, the gold iPhone 5S could take some of the load off of the black iPhone though we still expect the cheapest variant of the iPhone 5S, in black, to be in scarce supply at retailers.

So for those that have their sights set on the black 16GB iPhone 5S, pre-order early, or get to the store early on release day as it’s typically the model that sells out first.

Lines Everywhere

Don’t expect lines everywhere on release day.

Don’t expect there to be lines everywhere. Yes, there will be lines at Apple Stores and corporate stores of carriers, those are the places they typically show on television, there won’t be lines everywhere.

In the past, we’ve been able to walk into malls, even malls with Apple Stores, and find a carrier kiosk selling iPhone models. We did this very thing last year with the iPhone 5. While people were fighting in line at the Apple Store, a Verizon mall kiosk did not have a huge line and we were able to get our iPhone 5 and get out of their quickly.

Lack of Accessory Options

Do not expect carriers to be lacking when it comes to iPhone 5S accessories on release day. Across the board, we should see AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon all have ample supply of iPhone 5S accessories. There may be a few exclusives packed in there but don’t expect the options to be drastically different from one another.

Apple Stores should also be chock full of iPhone 5S accessories on day one with sales representatives pushing any number of them onto iPhone 5S shoppers.

iPhone 5S & iPhone 5C Release Date Rumors Swirl

While some regions may see the iPhone 5Sand iPhone 5C release dates arrive on September 20th, iPhone buyers in China might see their release date come much later with the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C release date in China now pegged for late November.

Rumors have been swirling in the build up to Apple’s iPhone event, heavily rumored to be taking place on September 10th. Apple still hasn’t confirmed that date but the date is still all but confirmed. It is at that event that the company is expected to detail both the iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5′s successor, and the iPhone 5C, a cheap plastic iPhone that could replace one of Apple’s current options.

Th iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C may not hit China until November.

Apple’s new iPhones have been rumored for weeks now, leaving little to the imagination. The iPhone 5S is expected to have a design similar to the iPhone 5 though it’s expected to carry a better camera, faster processor and a fingerprint reader. The iPhone 5C is thought to have a similar 4-inch Retina Display but come with a lesser camera, a cheap plastic design and a cheaper price tag.

iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C rumors have pointed to September 20th as their release date, at least in some regions, though a new report from China’s First Financial Daily suggests that the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C may hit China much later than that.

Instead of September, or even October, the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C could hit China on November 28th. The devices reportedly have yet to be verified by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, something that needs to happen before the devices are released to the public.

The plastic iPhone 5C should be cheaper than the iPhone 5S.

If true, it could mean that the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C will come later than the iPhone 5 did. Last year’s iPhone model was initially released on September 21st but didn’t arrive in China until December 14th.

The iPhone 5C figures to play heavily into Apple’s iPhone plans in China as the device’s purpose is thought to be competition for the cheap smartphones that have flooded the Chinese market. It’s also possible that the iPhone 5C will launch elsewhere but at this point, it’s unclear.

Mac Pro Release Nears as Apple Posts Teaser Video

The Mac Pro release date is getting closer as Apple posted a new Mac Pro video late Friday teasing viewers with glimpses of the new design and not much else.

The video didn’t hint at a Mac Pro price, which could be as much as a cheap new car when maxed out, but it does deliver 1080P footage of the new Mac Pro.

The 50-second Mac Pro Cinema Ad features upbeat music that sounds a bit like James Bond meets Mission Impossible, with quick looks at the Mac Pro 2013 design before closing with flashes of the earth, a ring of fire and a dilating pupil.

Apple shows the first ad for the new Mac Pro, with a Fall 2013 release teaser at the end.

While the new Mac Pro video doesn’t offer up a firm date, we are treated to the Fall 2013 Mac Pro release date timing once more. Check out the Mac Pro Cinema ad below.

This is the first time in recent memory that Apple posted an ad for an unreleased product, which hints at a new Mac Pro release soon. This is the first real Mac Pro update in several years. Apple updated some small options in June 2012, but that is a very minor change compared to the new Mac Pro.

While Apple doesn’t often post ads for unreleased products, we do occasionally see Apple ads show up online before appearing on TV, so this isn’t completely out of left field.

It appears Apple is showing the Mac Pro Cinema ad in movie theaters in the U.S., adding to the hype for this machine aimed at creative users and professionals that need an extremely powerful Mac.

Apple announced the new Mac Pro at WWDC 2013 in June, showing off the powerful machine which will run OS X Mavericks and can support up to three 4k displays at once.

The new Mac Pro will use PCI Express flash storage, come with Thunderbolt 2 support and use new iNtel Xeon processors alongside fast RAM. The device comes with dual GPUs standard.

In Apple fashion the new Mac Pro design is a major part of the product and of this ad. The small black Mac pro design is sleek yet still able to contain powerful hardware the needs to stay cool.

We could see a new Mac Pro release date in September or October when we could also see new MacBook Pro models and the OS X Mavericks release.

iPhone 5S Name Slips on Apple’s Website

It looks like the iPhone 5S has slipped ahead of its September launch date as the iPhone 5S name has been discovered lurking in source code on Apple’s Canadian website.

While the iPhone 5S name is thought to be the name of the next iPhone, it’s a name that remains unconfirmed and likely will remain that way until Apple takes the stage and announces it. However, there is some evidence that seems to back up those rumors as the iPhone 5S name has surfaced in the source code on the French version of Apple’s Canadian website.

The notorious evleaks produced a rather odd tweet today. The tweet, which was in French, pointed to a section on the Apple Store that seemed to hint at a mention of the iPhone 5S.

However, deep within the cached page’s source code lies the name iPhone 5S. The full code looks like this:

Le filtre de confidentialité 3M™ pour iPhone 5S avec fini lustré intègre la technologie microvolets 3M et vous…

The message within the page’s source code translates to:

The 3M ™ Privacy Filter for iPhone 5S with gloss finish incorporates microshutters 3M technology and you …

What it’s referring to is a possible accessory for the iPhone 5S. 3M makes privacy filters for Apple products that help keep on-screen information private while also keeping the screen protected from things like dirt and dust. In other words, it looks like this is a high-quality screen protector for the iPhone 5S, a device that Apple hasn’t yet announced.

The page that is live right now does not have the ‘iPhone 5S’ in the source code.

The iPhone 5S name has appeared on Apple’s website it seems.

It could be that someone at Apple slipped up and added code too soon, a coincidental mistake, or it could be a misdirection on Apple’s part. Given how buried the reference it is, it’s hard not to lean towards the former.

The iPhone 5S name is widely expected to be attached to the next iPhone. It’s thought to be retaining the same aluminum design and 4-inch display and thus, an ‘S’ moniker rather than a numbered one.

Apple’s iPhone 5S is expected to have a number of upgrades including an improved camera, better processor and fingerprint reader and it’s rumored to be hitting shelves alongside the cheaper iPhone 5C on September 20th.

Their release should come after the release of Apple’s new iOS software, iOS 7, which is set to bring a new look to owners of Apple’s older iPhones and iPads.

No iOS 7 release date is known but historically, Apple has released the software in between the iPhone launch date and the iPhone release date meaning it should fall somewhere in between September 10th and September 20th.

New iMac Release Possible in September as Deals Arrive

A collection of new iMac deals and dwindling inventory suggest Apple is preparing a new iMac release for September or October, which could come alongside new MacBook Pro models.

The new iMac for late 2013 will likely include the new Intel Haswell processor that is currently in the MacBook Air. Battery life is not an issue on the iMac, but users could benefit from other enhancements.

Apple announced the current iMac in late 2012 with a slimmer new look, but launched in very short supply which prevented many users from buying one until early 2013

This week retailers like B&H, Amazon and Best Buy began offering a number of iMac deals that arrive as Apple is reportedly slowing the flow of iMacs to retailers in an attempt to liquidate the current model ahead of a new iMac.

Moves suggest Apple is planning a new iMac release in the near future.

Apple Insider reports on the collection of iMac deals that hint at Apple’s near-term plans to deliver a new iMac to consumers.

“Given the new inventory management measures Apple adopted after January’s MacBook Pro surplus scare, the discounts are likely the start of a multi-week effort to run its iMac channel fairly bare.”

The new iMac models could be ready for a release as early as this month according to Apple Insider’s report. Even if Apple is ready to launch a new iMac this month, it is likely that we could see the new iMac release arrive after the rumored iPhone 5S event on September 10th.

If Apple delivers a new iMac in the next month or two, look for updates to the 21-inch and 27-inch iMac models to arrive at the same time, rather than staggered like the release last year.

A separate report claims Apple is preparing for a new MacBook Pro release date in September or October. It would make sense for Apple to launch a new iMac and a new MacBook Pro Retina in the same timeframe as both will likely use the new Intel Haswell processors and could run OS X Mavericks out of the box.

Apple announced OS X Mavericks at WWDC 2013, and is on the 6th beta for developers. OS X Mavericks includes better multi-monitor support, power saving features, iBooks for Mac, Maps for Mac, Finder Tabs and tags as well as iCloud Keychain which syncs passwords across Macs and iOS devices.

Pandora Sweetens Free Listening Ahead of iOS 7 Release

On an earnings call to investors earlier this week, music streaming service Pandora threw a bone to users, possibly to hang on to as many of them as possible following the launch of Apple’s own subscription music service.

Pandora users will now be able to enjoy as much free music streaming as they want, with the company saying that it’s working to “reset” it’s “levers” in September according to transcripts of the call made available byTechCrunch. Pandora users could only stream up to 40 hours of music per month for free on their mobile devices before Pandora stopped them and suggested they pay for the company’s Pandora One streaming service.

As free users had to listen to ads in between music tracks already, many free users resented the insinuation that they should pay for the service, which costs $36 a year.

iTunes Radio comes in iOS 7 with streaming stations that are ad-free for $25 a year.

Though most users will rejoice in their new ability to stream music for more than 40 hours a week, Pandora’s timing is curious. Apple could announce release details for its iOS 7 mobile operating system and a new iPhone on September 10th. That operating system, and the update to iTunes that it will require, will give most users their first real opportunity to get a subscription service that is native to their operating system.

That’s because Apple’s iTunes Radio will arrive to all users as a part of iOS 7. Revealed during the company’s World Wide Developers Conference earlier this year, Apple’s iTunes Radio allows users to stream songs for free. Users will also have the option to simply buy the songs. Users won’t be able to replay tracks, though they will be able to skip songs. Any Apple user who already has an iTunes Match subscription will get iTunes Radio for free, and they won’t have to sit through ads either.

How well add-on services like Pandora and Spotify will do in the face of native subscription services remains to be seen. With the availability of iTunes Radio, each one of the three largest smartphone platforms now has it’s own subscription service built in natively.

Google’s Google Play Music All Access launched earlier this year. It allows users to browse, stream and store tracks on their Android device for $9.99 a month. For that same price Windows and Windows Phone users can stream and store tracks using the Xbox Music subscription service.

During that earnings call Pandora hinted that it would be making other significant changes to its service, however it didn’t share details. Its CEO did share some of his insights on new competitors in the space telling AllThingsD that,

“We’ve now been around for eight years. We’ve seen competitors large and small enter the market and, in some cases, exit the market. I’ve never seen an analysis that identifies an effect from any competitor … we don’t see the picture changing.”

Droid 5 Leak Shows Off Motorola’s Best-In-Class Keyboard

The keyboard isn’t quite dead yet, at least not on a smartphone with a sliding QWERTY form factor. Motorola, which had made the keyboard a staple since the release of the original Droid, is now back at the form factor again with a potential Droid 5. Newly leaked pictures show off what appears to be Motorola’s fifth generation smartphone with the sliding QWERTY form factor, a physical keyboard that slides down in landscape orientation, and what looks to be copper inductive charging coils for wireless charging support.

Likely, the Droid 5 will use Motorola’s new dual-core X8 processor, comes with the software tweaks that are present on the Droid Ultra and the newly launched Moto X, and sport a 10-megapixel Clear Pixel camera module. The screen size is rumored to be anywhere between a 4.3-inch to a 4.5-inch display. The rumored screen size may mean this may be a Droid Mini with a keyboard attached to it.

The smaller screen real estate will make the phone more pocketable despite a bigger thickness to accommodate the physical keyboard. The leaked images appeared on Chinese social media networks late this week.

According to a report on Engadget, despite having physical keys on the hardware keyboard, this phone will have a shockproof, dust-resistant, and water-resistant design, making it suitable for those with more active lifestyle. The shockproof design may make this one of the more rugged modern Motorola Android handsets to be introduced.

The handset does show Verizon branding, so likely if this phone does launch, it will come with 4G LTE support in the U.S. It’s unclear if Motorola will be making this phone available to international customers like previous Droid handsets.

This may be just the smartphone to hold out for if you’re interested in a smartphone but refuse to do without a keyboard. It will likely make Droid 4 users happy when they’re eligible for their upgrades. Though this form factor is increasingly becoming less popular thanks to larger touch screen phones, Verizon appears to be committed to this design having recently launched the LG Enact with a similar design, but likely lower end specs than this rumored Droid 5.