The dust has just about settled on Apple’s iPhone 5 launch, and if the launch has made you want one, you’ll want to know where you can get one from, and how cheap you can get it.
From Apple
For many countries, including us in the UK, the launch date is September 21st. If you’re happy to shell out the full cost to buy the phone outright from Apple, you can get your name down on the pre-order list from September 14th to have one delivered or reserved for you at your local Apple store.
Unfortunately the latest smartphones never come cheaply, especially from Apple. Prices for the iPhone 5 start at £529 which will be for the 16GB version, with no prices listed for the 32 and 64GB versions – we’d expect them to be priced at £629 for the 32GB and £700 for the 64GB version.
UPDATE: Pre-orders with Apple are now open online, with the 16GB model costing £529, the 32GB costing £599 and the 64GB version costing £699.
UPDATE: Stock seems to be running dry at Apple, and shipping estimates have now slipped from 2 weeks to 3-4 weeks for those wanting to pre-order from Apple online. Stores will be stocking the iPhone 5 across the UK, although if you’re based in a major city then prepared to join the queue!
UK Networks
EE – The UK’s first 4G network has confirmed that the iPhone 5 will be available on their new network, making full use of its cleverly designed single 4G LTE antenna here in the UK. Those interested can register interest in general for the EE network at www.ee.co.uk.
UPDATE: EE customers will need to pre-order an iPhone via Orange or T-Mobile initially, and will later be given the chance to hop over to EE to use 4G.
ORANGE – Orange will be offering the new iPhone 5 as of Friday 21st, but doesn’t currently have a way of registering your interest.
UPDATE: Orange customers can now register interest at www.orange.co.uk/iphone5
UPDATE 2: To get the 16GB iPhone 5 free you’ll need to shell out £46 per month on a 2 year deal – that includes 3GB of internet. The lowest monthly cost is £36 per month, and with that you’ll pay £109.99, £219.99 or £269.99 up front for the 16, 32 and 64GB models respectively. See prices and tariffs here.
T-MOBILE – T-Mobile will also be selling the new iOS phone from Friday 21st September, and you can register your interest right here.
UPDATE: T-Mobile contracts start at £21 per month, and the price you’ll pay up front for the phone ranges from £19 to £499, depending on your monthly cost and which model you go for. The best deal seems to be £36 per month and £109 up front, bagging you 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 750MB of data. View all deals for pre-order here.
VODAFONE – Vodafone doesn’t confirm the date for its iPhone 5 launch, although we’re sure it will be the same as all others. New and existing customers can register interest to hear when they can pre-order here.
UPDATE: Vodafone has 12 and 24 month deals available on all three models, with the monthly payments going from £33 up to £51. The phone isn’t available free on any tariffs, with the lowest up front cost being £169. You can view all deals here.
THREE – Three is the only UK network to currently not have any mention of the iPhone 5 on its website! We have a feeling Three will wait a while until they have their 4G network in place to co-advertise it with the new phone and its 4G radio.
UPDATE: Three joins the race last with its new pre-order page. All three sizes and both colours are available on 2 year deals, with monthly prices starting at £34 per month for the 16GB model, with a very low up front cost of £79. View all deals here.
O2 – As with Vodafone, O2 doesn’t list any specific release details but does offer a registration option for those interested, here.
UPDATE: O2 hasn’t yet listed prices for the phone itself, but several monthly tariffs will be available, running from £26 per month up to £63. Texts and calls are unlimited on all deals, and data is 1GB. You can view the deals by clicking the same link above.
UK Retailers
CARPHONE WAREHOUSE – CPW’s front page offers you the chance to ‘be the first to reserve the Latest Smartphone’ by calling them. We’re assuming they mean the iPhone 5…
UPDATE: Currently the only model available to pre-order online is the 16GB black model – all others you’ll need to call to enquire about. You can get the phone for free from £45 per month, with deals available on Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2 and Three. All deals can be seen here.
PHONES 4U – There’s currently no mention of the iPhone 5 on the Phones 4u website!
UPDATE: Pre-orders can be made now, with the 16 and 32GB sizes available on Vodafone, T-Mobile and Orange. The 64GB model isn’t available to pre-order, but users can register interest for it. You can get the handset for free if you plump for a 2 year, £47 per month contract from Vodafone. View all deals here.
EXPANSYS – Unlike anywhere else at the moment, you can pre-order all three sizes (16, 32 and 64GB) in both colours (White and Black) from Expansys now – http://www.expansys.com/iphone5/
Something different
Looking for something a bit different to the norm? We’re scouting out exclusive and custom iPhones to add to this section, starting off with Mendmyi’s option to have the iPhone 5 in almost any colour you want. Recolouring can be done to the entire front, the top and bottom sections on the back panel, and even the home button. These aren’t ready to order yet, but if you’re looking for something that will help your phone stand out in a crowd, this is a pretty good start.
Stay tuned…
We’ll be keeping this page as a sticky at the top of our page and will be updating with prices, tariffs and any new information we can find, so stay tuned!
Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.