iPhone 5s Inventory Said to Be 'Severely Constrained' at Launch

iPhone 5s inventories are said to be very limited at launch, according to reports from several different publications sourcing employees at Apple Retail Stores and cellular carriers.

One source told AllThingsD that an unnamed carrier will have "grotesquely unavailable inventory" and another said they were disappointed with the shipments of the phone from Apple. BGR likewise said 5s supply would be "severely constrained".

iPhone 5s Order
9to5Mac's Mark Gurman claims three of four units shipped to Apple Stores will be the new Space Gray color -- gold and silver options will be more difficult to come by -- while phones meant for AT&T's network will be more plentiful than those for Verizon. He also says 16GB and 32GB models will be in greater supply than 64GB units.

A survey from earlier this year showed that the 16GB and 32GB models were far more popular than the 64GB version, with nearly 90% of iPhones purchased being the lower two capacities.

Finally, Gurman says Apple will be updating its Apple Store iOS app to show the in-stock status of various iPhone models at their local Apple Retail Stores.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
Netflix Smaller 4

Netflix Kills Casting From Its Mobile App to Most Modern TVs

Monday December 1, 2025 4:36 am PST by
Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs and streaming devices, including newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer. The change was first spotted by users on Reddit and confirmed in an updated Netflix support page (via Android Authority), which now states that the streaming service no longer supports casting from mobile devices...
Cyber Week Deals 2025

Best Cyber Week Apple Deals Include Big Discounts on AirPods, Apple Watch, and More

Sunday November 30, 2025 7:33 am PST by
Cyber Week is here, and you can find popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more at all-time low prices. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Specifically,...
Sad Siri Feature

Apple AI Chief John Giannandrea Retiring After Siri Delays

Monday December 1, 2025 2:16 pm PST by
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down from his position and retiring in spring 2026, Apple announced today. Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and ...
studio display purple february

M5 iPad Pro Could Hint at New Studio Display Feature

Sunday November 30, 2025 10:30 am PST by
The updated specs of the M5 iPad Pro may point toward a major new feature for Apple's next-generation Studio Display expected in early 2026. Apple's latest iPad Pro debuted last month and contains one display-related change that stands out: it can now drive external monitors at up to 120Hz with Adaptive Sync. The feature should deliver lower latency, smoother motion, and fewer visual...
New Intel Logo

Apple and Intel Rumored to Partner on Mac Chips Again in a New Way

Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027. Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Black Friday iPhone Deals Still Available

Friday November 28, 2025 6:24 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Apple's Big Plans for iPad Mini 8

Friday November 28, 2025 8:39 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through the latest rumors about Apple's upcoming iPad mini 8. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos The next-generation version of the iPad mini is expected to feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...

Top Rated Comments

friedmud Avatar
159 months ago
How hard is it to make a phone that's a minor variant of the phone they were already making?

What are you talking about? Even though the case is largely the same (with the exception of the home button) _everything_ inside that case is completely new:

1. New A7 chip
2. New M7 chip
3. New Camera
4. New Flash
5. New Fingerprint Sensor

"Minor Variant" my ass.

I swear that most of the posters on this forum surely must be plants by Samsung and Microsoft....
Score: 123 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheKrs1 Avatar
159 months ago
How hard is it to make a phone that's a minor variant of the phone they were already making?

Probably not very hard. Luckily this isn't a "minor variant" of their existing phone. Everything got retooled for the internals. Thanks.
Score: 57 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
159 months ago
My wife is at a hospital right now, about to give birth to our first child.

I feel so bad that I can't be with her right now as I've joined the line at the Apple store Fifth Avenue. So stoked!
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brand Avatar
159 months ago
My exwife is at a hospital right now, about to give birth to our first child.

I feel so bad that I can't be with her right now as I've joined the line at the Apple store Fifth Avenue. So stoked!
There I corrected it for you.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Klae17 Avatar
159 months ago
Who's surprised?
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chuckles:) Avatar
159 months ago
How hard is it to make a phone that's a minor variant of the phone they were already making?
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)