Usually by this point in September, the rumor mill would be in overdrive churning up advance word about a new iPod touch or maybe new iTunes features, but this year is different. With the iPhone 5 pushed from its usual early summer release, all eyes are focused on the new handset, which seems to be popping up everywhere except from Apple themselves.
BGR is reporting that Sprint will get the iPhone 5 when it’s released in October -- or at least, somebody at Best Buy believes that will be the case, thanks to a new internal memo that has leaked about the fifth-generation Apple handset. In a “Promotional Activity” memo, the corporate office appears to be prepping their Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores to start accepting iPhone 5 preorders, which includes Sprint as well as AT&T and Verizon.
“BBYM: iPhone 5 product introduction expected, pre-sales begin for expected October week 1 launch / Sprint launches iPhone 5,” the memo reads, while cautioning “(Apple product introduction / Launch dates subject to change).”
So does Best Buy know something we don’t, or do they happen to read the same rumors online as the rest of us? Hard to say, but BGR’s source claims that presales could actually begin as early as this week, arriving in the first week of October, so we may know soon enough.
In other advance iPhone 5 news, Bloomberg is reporting that Deutsche Telekom AG, the German owners of T-Mobile, have already started accepting preorders of the iPhone 5 for existing customers -- without Apple having even introduced it yet.
“Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE) will allow customers to reserve the next generation of Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone as of today in anticipation of supply bottlenecks for the device, spokesman Alexander von Schmettow said by phone,” the report revealed. “The operator will hand out coupons to people who expressly request the successor model to the iPhone 4, without providing the name or release details of the device, he said.”
Sounds like an intriguing way to help avoid what is sure to be a stampede for the next model, especially after an extended wait. The real question is, will Apple be able to meet the initial surge of demand, particularly if they’re expanding to three (or maybe four) carriers here in the U.S.?
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(Image courtesy of BGR)
