Until now, AT&T has always made exceptions for early iPhone adopters by qualifying these customers for full upgrade prices before their contract technically allowed it. I took advantage of this when upgrading from the iPhone 3G to iPhone 3GS, from iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4, and from iPhone 4 to iPhone 4S. Not this year. Not for the iPhone 5. Those glorious days are now over.

I learned today that my account is only eligible for "early upgrade" pricing, which is $250 more than "full upgrade" pricing. So a 16 GB iPhone 5 will cost me $450 instead of $200. Ouch.

Before learning of this fact, I was already considering making the switch to Verizon because AT&T LTE is not yet available in my area. I was hesitant, however, because of expensive early termination fees (ETFs). Well, it turns out that the ETF for my line on AT&T is $215. Let's do some basic math.

If I stay with AT&T and purchase a 16 GB iPhone 5, it's going to cost me $450. If I cancel my account with AT&T, I will have to pay an ETF of $215 then purchase the 16 GB iPhone 5 on Verizon for $200. So ultimately, the cost to switch to Verizon is $415 (upgrade fees and activation fees aside).

So for $450 I can stay on AT&T with no LTE, or for $415 I can switch to Verizon and gain LTE. This is a no-brainer.

When I contacted AT&T PR, I was told that there hasn't been a change in policies and the ineligibly of full upgrade pricing is likely due to the fact that it's only been 11 months since the release of the iPhone 4S.

We want to help customers upgrade to a new device as quickly as possible – exact timing can depend on several factors unique to each account (length of contract, payment history, etc.).

What is AT&T thinking? Why did they choose this to be the year to stop their early upgrades for iPhone customers? I understand that the timing of the iPhone 5 may be playing a roll, but why not make an exception by 1 month? This is the year that the iPhone supports LTE and it's no secret that Verizon offers much more LTE coverage than AT&T. Because of this, Verizon is very tempting for current AT&T customers, but ETFs are expensive and typically incentive enough for most customers to stay -- providing that the cost of the iPhone is the same on both carriers. Instead, AT&T has decided to stop early upgrades, making it cheaper for their existing customers to cancel and switch to Verizon.

When I informed the AT&T representitve of all of the above, she put me on hold to see if she could get an exception made for me, but returned empty-handed. I told her that my decision to switch to Verizon was now an easy one and she replied with "well, it was great having you as a loyal customer for the time that we did". Yeah, ok.

Seriously, does AT&T even want to keep their customers? There is literally no reason for me to stay with AT&T -- and as a very loyal customer who has been with AT&T since I was 16 years old (and it was Cingular Wireless), it's time to give Verizon a shot.

Rene and David Barnard of App Cubby talk Apple's iPhone 5 event, from Mac and iPad numbers to the iPhone 5 hardware, iOS 6 software, iTunes 11, and new iPod nano and iPod touch. This is the iMore show! 6 likes, 10 dislikes

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Show notes

• iPhone 5 coverage

Guests

• David Barnard (@drbarnard) of [App Cubby](http://www.appcubby.com/on-air/personalities/clayton-morris/bio/#s=m-q)

Hosts

• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie)

Credits

You can reach all of us on Twitter @iMore, or you can email us at podcast@imore.com

or just leave us a comment below.

For all our podcasts -- audio and video -- including the iMore show, ZEN and TECH, Iterate, and more, see MobileNations.com/shows

Thanks to the iMore Accessory Store for sponsoring this week's show. Your one-stop-shop for everything iPhone and iPad, including cables, cases, chargers, Bluetooth and much more, check out store.imore.com.

Yesterday after the Apple event, we received a tip saying the iPhone 5 wouldn't be able to do simultaneous voice and data over LTE, which mean Verizon and Sprint wouldn't be able to do voice and data at the same time at all, and AT&T and other GSM carriers would have to drop data down to HSPA in order to do it. It sounded strange to us, because almost every other LTE phone launched to date has been able to do simultaneous voice/data. Here's how it was explained to us:

iPhone 5 will not support simultaneous LTE data and voice on any carrier, and cannot possibly support SVDO on CDMA carriers.

So on AT&T, iPhone will fall back to HSPA+ while on a phone call.  On Verizon/Sprint, there will be no data while on a phone call (while every other CDMA/LTE smartphone does support LTE data while on a phone call).

The only thing we could think of is that Apple made a deliberate decision to optimize for battery life by using a single connection on the radio The editors here at Mobile Nations spent some time batting it back and forth and, frankly, hoped it was a mistake.

Turns out it might not have been. The Verge has received the following statement from Verizon:

The iPhone 5 was designed to allow customers to place a voice call on the Verizon Wireless network, while letting customers access the Internet over the WiFi

And just as described above, AT&T will only be able to do it over HSPA. How fast the iPhone 5 will be able to fall back onto HSPA and then return to LTE as you make calls is the X-factor here. On early Android phones, LTE handoffs were abysmal. With the new iPad, they haven't been bad at all. But: no voice going on.

If this does indeed turn out to be true, will it change which carrier you choose to go with for the iPhone 5? You know the next generation AT&T commercials are just warming up for it...

Thanks Matt!

Decided to get a brand new iPhone 5 but not sure which storage capacity to get? 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB all have their pros and cons, so it's important to weigh all the options carefully and get the very best price/performance ration for you.

Price for storage

The current US prices for iPhone 5, with full carrier subsidies are:

• 16GB: $199 or $12.44 a GB
• 32GB: $299 or $9.34 a GB
• 64GB: $399 or $6.23 a GB

At first glance it may look like 64GB is twice the price for four times the storage, in other words a really sweet deal. But nothing is ever really that simple, is it? Basically, 16GB for $199 is Apple's lowest margin device. After that, Apple is getting you to pay a pretty premium for every additional doubling of storage. Think of it this way, going from 16GB to 32GB costs you $100. Go look at the cost of a 16GB SD card and you'll see how much more you're paying for that bump. Now the $200 premium for an additional 48GB of storage is more interesting, because it's for more expensive, double density NAND Flash. But it's still not $200 more expensive.

Hey, that's why Apple has over $100 billion in the bank.

If your goal is to pay Apple absolutely the least amount of money as possible, the 16GB might tempt you. But hold on, there's a lot more to consider than just the cost of storage...

iCloud

iCloud gives you free, unlimited storage for all your iTunes stuff. That includes iBooks, music, movies, TV shows, and apps, as well as 30 days or 1000 Photo Stream photos. You also get 5GB of additional storage for backups, data, etc. In many countries, you can use iTunes in the Cloud to download your media only when, and as needed. You can even purchase more iCloud storage for the following yearly fees:

10GB: $20/year 20GB: $40/year 50GB: $100/year

All of this might make that 16GB iPhone all the more tempting, since you could keep most of your media nearline in iCloud, and maybe even by a little extra iCloud space if you need to.

It's not a crazy idea but it's important to remember that online storage isn't always as available, fast, or convenient as onboard storage. For starters, you can't really play a movie from iCloud, you have to download it at the same time you watch it, which means you have to have enough space available on your iPhone 5 to handle the download. If you want to watch a lot of movies, you may have to watch, delete, watch, delete, over and over again. Annoying.

iCloud also isn't as open as things like Dropbox (which is also an option to consider), so you can only really store what Apple lets you. If your movies and videos don't come from iTunes, that's an important consideration. Also, in our tests, iCloud's free 5GB could get filled up pretty quickly by photos and especially videos.

Bottom line, iCloud means you can get away with managing more content on your device, but you still want to have enough local storage for what you need, when you need it.

Photos and video

The iPhone 5 can take 8 megapixel photos, 28 megapixel panoramas (?!), and shoot 1080p video at 30fps, and those can be some big files. About an hour of video can take up roughly 10GB of storage. 16GB doesn't seem so roomy now, does it?

I take a ton of photos and videos on my iPhone and back when I had a 16GB iPhone 4, I ran out all the time. And that was just at 720p. And it's a huge pain in the butt to have to go through and figure out what to delete if I'm not near my computer and can't sync stuff of. So if you're really into the camera, 16GB might not work.

Apps, games, and media

The other thing that can fill up our iPhone quickly is apps, especially games. It's not uncommon for some console-quality games to be well over 1GB in size these days. Even basic apps might include interface assets for the new iPad, which are huge, and which all add up.

iTunes movies can be 1-3GB in size for SD depending on the length. If you prefer watching HD, they can be 3-5GB. iTunes TV shows can be a quarter to half the size of movies, but more than make up for it by the number of episodes typically available. If you get your movies and TV shows from somewhere other than iTunes, you're still looking at about 400MB an hour for SD and over 1GB (sometimes way over) an hour for HD. Music files are generally quite small but can add up as well, especially if you have lots and lots of albums you want to keep with you everywhere. Even with something like iTunes Match or a similar music locker service, or a streaming service like Slacker you need local storage for offline playback. Again, it all adds up.

Who should get 16GB

If you don't use a lot of apps, if you don't want to have a lot of movies and TV shows, or a huge amount of music, if you don't intend to shoot and keep very much 8mp photos or 1080p video on your iPhone, you'll probably be okay with 16GB.

Some people like to keep their iPhones light and do all their gaming and media on their iPad, and some people just don't shoot a lot of pictures or video. If that's you, you can save yourself some cash and get a 16GB iPhone 5.

Who should get 32GB

If the iPhone is your primary device, if you play games on it and watch movies and TV shows on it, if you have a decent-sized music collection you want to keep with you, and if you shoot an average amount of photos and videos, 32GB is your sweet spot.

Some people like to have one device that, while it doesn't do everything all the time, it's capable enough to do most things most of the time. If you do a fair but not overwhelming amount of stuff on your iPhone, your probably better off going for 32GB.

Who should get 64GB

If you're a power user who wants to keep as much as possible for as long as possible, if you have a large amount of apps and games, TV and movies, and a huge music collection you simply have to have with you all the time, or you shoot photos and video almost non stop and don't want to have to bother transferring it all the time... we'll, you've probably already decided on 64GB, haven't you?

Some people really do want their iPhone to do everything, all of the time, and never (or rarely) have to worry about running out of space. They probably want 128GB -- or even 256GB if they could get it! -- but they'll use the most they can, whenever they can. That's 64GB.

What if you choose the wrong size?

Remember, in most places you have time to try out your new iPhone 5 and return it if you don't like it. Make sure, as soon as possible, you put your iPhone 5 to realistic use. Load up all the apps and games you want with you, load up your movies and TV shows, go out and take some photos and shoot some video. Give it a complete and thorough workout and see.

If it feels like you got too much storage, say 64GB and you haven't even gone past 2GB, or if you got too little, say you're already at 15GB of 16GB, then take your iPhone 5 back and exchange it for one that better suits your needs.

If you come to this realization too late, after the exchange period is over, remember you can buy additional iCloud storage, or look at other options like Dropbox which will let you keep your stuff available online and potentially free up some much needed space on your iPhone.

How to get more help with the iPhone 5

• iPhone 5 superpage
• iPhone 5 forum

Let's face it -- in-box earbuds have never been anything to write home about. Frankly, they usually suck. Even for as iconic as Apple's white earbuds have become since the release of the first iPod -- they still sucked. They were uncomfortable. They didn't sound good. Even the slightly better Apple In-Ear Headphones, with their rubberized tips, weren't a whole lot better.

That all changes today.

We could rave all day over the improvements Apple's made to your too-often overlooked ear holes. But, really, selling you on these $29 wonders won't take nearly that long.

The fit

Whereas the original Apple Earphones felt (for me, anyway) like some sort of crude torture device, the EarPods are wonderfully benign. The anterior gracefully curves into the stem, which leads to the cables, while the posterior is flat. They earpods definitely have a futuristic look to them. The oval grilles add to that effect. 

The EarPods are hard plastic, so you won't be getting any real noise-cancellation here. That's not surprising, but it's still worth noting. But that doesn't mean they're uncomfortable. Far from it, actually. They've got a much more natural fit. No longer do you feel like you're trying to wedge a plastic disc into your ear with the least amount of discomfort. Not to over-use the terms "comfortable" and "natural," but that's what they are.

The sound

How much do these things cost again? Because they sound good. Really good, actually. For as crappy as the old earbuds were, the EarPods sound that much better.

When was the last time you heard bass come out of a pair of apple buds? If you can't remember, it's time to spring for the EarPods. The bass comes through loud and clear. Highs are surprisingly crisp. Mids are in the middle, where they should be. 

Audiophiles probably won't be happy. (Are they ever?) But on the other hand, these are sub-$50 earbuds. Hell, they're sub-$30 earbuds. If you want better sound, spend more money.

The function

EarPods are more than just mere speakers for your ear holes, of course. There's a dongle on the right-ear cable that controls volume, play/pause and call answering, with 11 functions in all. Apple says the EarPods will work with any generaetoin iPad, the iPhone 3GS and up, iPod classic (120GB and 160GB versions, iPod nano 4th generation and up, and the third-gen iPod shuffle and up.

Sirir's not forgotten, either. Press and hold the center button to activate her. 

The bottom line

This is a no-brainer, folks. For $29 (sans tax or shipping) direct from Apple, anyone unhappy with the previous generation Apple EarPhones should upgrade. Anyone looking for a inexpensive and surprisingly comfortable set should get the EarPods.

Our only complaint -- and this is a small one -- is that we'd prefer just a little more length in the cable. But that's us. It'll probably be long enough for the vast majority of folks out there.

The bottom line is this: The three years Apple spent on the EarPods has paid off, and should guarantee that the little white cables remain an iconic part of personal tech for years to come.

Also: How Apple's EarPods work on Android

The financial markets are usually right. Not always, but usually. Today Apple stock is trading higher, following the iPhone 5 launch. It's only 2 percent higher, but it tells you that most people were quite happy with what Apple announced, from a financial perspective.

Apple already revolutionized the smartphone market. They've revolutionized a few markets in their time on this planet. First they brought us the GUI and mouse. Then they created the iPod and iTunes. Now they've brought multitouch mobile computing to the masses. Let's not debate who invented each particular item. In the end, execution is what matters. Apple is creative, smart, and executes well.

How many commentaries have you read about the iPhone 5? If you're the average tech geek, probably a bunch. Most of them focus on the same points - that it, Apple only incrementally improved its product. In a few minutes you can be swimming in a blogosphere full of disappointed tech geeks.

Here's what people need to keep in mind: Apple doesn't revolutionize the Mac product line anymore either. Sure, they drop some awesome stuff on us such as the initial Macbook Air, the unibody MacBook Pro or the latest, Retina Macbook Pro. But none of that is truly disruptive like the iPod or iPhone (and iPad) were. They're incremental improvements, and they should be expected in markets where we've either seen product maturity or product leadership. And in Apple's case - a mix of both.

OS X and the Macbook Pro line is fairly mature. Yet it still grows faster than any PC player out there, taking market share every quarter. And with so many iOS devices dropping into consumer's hands, the halo effect is even stronger now.

This demonstrates what should be an obvious point: Revolutions are rare. For Apple stock to be a strong performer they don't need a yearly revolution. They just need to avoid missing the next revolution, whenever that is.

Just look at Samsung and RIM. Samsung caught the revolution. They rely on Google for an OS, but they've gone on to become the world's largest smartphone vendor (at least for now). You'll never hear people say "revolution" and "Samsung" in the same sentence. And RIM? They were revolutionary, and they are fighting hard to come back with BlackBerry 10. But they completely missed the revolution that Apple created, and they're suffering as a result.

Apple is in great shape. People talk about Samsung having great vertical integration but that's only from a component standpoint. Apple has better integration when you include components along with apps, cloud, content and retail distribution.

We won't know what the next revolution is until it hits us in the face.

Until then, folks, enjoy the evolution.

iPhone 5 pre-orders will begin tonight at 12:01 am Pacific Time (that's 3:01 am ET, 8:01 am BST). Sprint will star pre-orders at the same time, Verizon will start 1 minute earlier, and AT&T... hasn't said yet. Apple, for their part, has confirmed the time to Wired.

Because of the glut of people trying to pre-order, web sites can grind to a halt and even come crashing down. Stay patient. Keep trying. Get multiple machines at play if you have to. Copy/paste or screenshot any important order or transaction numbers. Breathe.

I'll probably be lining up next week instead of ordering, but if you are going to brave the web tonight, make sure you jump into our iPhone 5 Forum and join our waiting for iPhone 5 pajama party thread. We'll be hanging out with the staff and readers, having fun, and giving away cool accessory prizes to the people posting.

So get on over there and tell us what color, capacity, and carrier you're be ordering. Seriously, there's no better way to wait!

Now set your alarms! (And if you haven't already, make sure you enter to win your iPhone for FREE from iMore)

Source: Wired.

Apple has now revealed the pricing for an off contract SIM free iPhone 5 in various European countries and if you thought last year's prices were expensive this year will see those costs go up again. Last year Apple sold the iPhone 4S 16GB version in the UK for £499.00, this year, the iPhone 5 16GB model will be sold for £529.00; that's an increase of around 6%. It's not all bad news as the price increase only appears to affect the iPhone 5 16GB model as the 32GB and 64GB models both hold the same price as last year. The story is the same in France and Germany too, where the 16GB iPhone 5 starts at €679.00, €50 more than last year.

United Kingdom

iPhone 5 16GB £ 529.00

iPhone 5 32GB £ 599.00

iPhone 5 64GB £ 699.00

France and Germany

iPhone 5 16GB € 679.00

iPhone 5 32GB € 739.00 (tbc)

iPhone 5 64GB € 849.00 (tbc)

Normally when prices increase Apple claims it is down to exchange rates but as this increase only seems to be for the 16GB model, we can only assume it is a manufacturing cost that can be made up on the higher capacity models. If you see the unlocked device prices revealed in your country, let us know if they have increased and which models have gone up in price. So far it seems that it is just the iPhone 5 16GB model that has suffered the increase.

Good design is inevitable. It's determined. It's relentless. Each iteration builds on the one before, becoming better and better each time. The work of Jonathan Ive, Apple Senior Vice President of Industrial Design, is a near-perfect example of this. So is the iPhone 5.

Ive said as much in an interview with the Telegraph back in May:

"We try to develop products that seem somehow inevitable. That leave you with the sense that that's the only possible solution that makes sense," he explains. "Our products are tools and we don't want design to get in the way. We're trying to bring simplicity and clarity, we're trying to order the products.

"I think subconsciously people are remarkably discerning. I think that they can sense care."

If you're disappointed in the iPhone 5 design, if you think it's too similar to previous iPhones, if you think Apple isn't innovating "any more", you're wrong. I'm not a "fanboy" and you're not a "troll" or a "hater". You're just wrong.

Back in 2005 Apple had a phone prototype called Purple. It was a flat, rounded rectangle with a big screen on the front and a metal plate on the back. It was, perhaps, their platonic ideal. Their form phone. And they couldn't make it. Not back then. They lacked the mobile engineering experience of an established player like Nokia, and they lacked the technologies and manufacturing processeses they themselves would later develop.

So Ive and Apple were forced to do what all great designers do. They were forced to compromise. And we got the original iPhone with its bloated sides and a big plastic band breaking its aluminium back. For the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, the metal back was removed completely, and plastic, bloated as the sides, took its place.

With the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, Ive and Apple were finally able to engineer their Purple phone. Flat. Solid. Stainless steel. But glass on the back and still not metal, and with an exposed antenna array that took a generation to get right.

Now we have the iPhone 5. Another step closer to Purple, the stainless steel sides are replaced by aluminium and the metal plate on the back has finally returned, albeit not completely. Another set of compromises demanded they keep radio-friendly glass on the top and bottom, and Apple's choice in a wider screen has forced them to abandon their golden ratio.

Jony Ive has many times said his goal is nothing less than making a better product. Phil Schiller said as much yesterday as well -- they started with the idea of an iPhone that was 20% or more thinner and lighter than an iPhone 4S without sacrificing any battery life, camera optics, or screen quality. And they did it while improving all of those things, and adding a faster radio as well.

Lost amongst the angst and howls of those for whom design is an appearance thing -- for whom ever more giant, creaky, plastic phones that are gray one year and blue the next, that are thin on one end and humped on the other, that sacrifice pixel quality for size, and consistency and cohesiveness for feature creep, are innovation -- is the leap forward Ive and Apple are taking here.

The leap from iPhone 4S to iPhone 5 is no less significant or impressive than the leap from the original MacBook Pro to the Unibody. In both cases, the end result bore familiarity of form, but was lightyears ahead in terms of process and results.

The iPhone 5 is an almost entirely new, entirely redesigned phone. Watch this video, particularly the part at the end about how the iPhone 5 is produced.

That Ive and Apple could do this and still make it look so similar is a testament to their talent and the integrity of their vision.

Jony Ive and Apple have made a better phone. It's profoundly thinner, lighter, and stronger, with a faster radio, better battery life and camera optics, and more screen than ever before.

They've made a better iPhone.

They had to. It was inevitable.

Bust out the haterade, dust off your iSheep macro keys, and wind up for some general hating of Apple fans, it's video time! Last night, on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the late night variety show took to the streets of Hollywood to ask people about the iPhone 5. The new iPhone isn't out yet, and your average Angelenos likely hasn't seen one yet, let alone read all of the news about the iPhone 5 (especially just the hours after it was announced, when this segment was filmed).

Seeing as this is Jimmy Kimmel, the show used the occasion as an opportunity to fool around and make the average person seem a fool. It's Kimmel's modus operandi, and there's nothing wrong with that. With the iPhone 5 still a week away, they instead whipped out an iPhone 4S and told unsuspecting people on the street that it was the iPhone 5. Apart from the taller screen and the beveled edges of the body, the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S look incredibly similar, enough so that it was sufficient to fool said unsuspecting persons on the street. The comments generally revolved around it seeming faster, thinner, and lighter - everything you'd expect in a new iPhone. Handed a device that looks like an iPhone, and told that it's the new iPhone 5, the people playing around with it saw what they expected to see.

It's a classic experiment. Microsoft did something similar with Windows Vista, briefly running an advertising campaign called the Mojave Experiment in July of 2008, where unsuspecting persons were given a demonstration of Windows Vista, but not told that it was Vista. At that point, Vista had been out for nearly a year and a half and though commercially successful was considered to be a generally poor software experience. Asked about there perceptions of Vista, participants in 'the Mojave Experiment' gave the OS an average rating of 4.4. When Vista was demonstrated to them as 'Mojave OS', rebranded but otherwise unchanged, but in a controlled environment with the implication that Mojave was a next generation operating system. Operating under the generally-true assumption that newer software is better software, the participants rated Mojave at an 8.5.

The same basic premise was at play in Kimmel's segment. People who wouldn't know any better are handed an iPhone and told it's the new iPhone 5, even if it's not. Unsurprisingly, the expect it to be faster, thinner, and lighter. Most people aren't going to be able to tell the speed difference in just a short while, paging around the app launcher and loading web pages (unless they're on different networks, in which case the AT&T HSPA iPhone will smoke Sprint and Verizon's 3G). Most people aren't going to be able to tell the relatively minute difference in thickness or weight, especially when a good chunk of those interviewed had their iPhones in a case.

And so, as the video made its rounds this morning, the fanboys came out in force. Not the iPhone fanboys, but fanboys that hate on the iPhone for being the iPhone. You know the ones, they complain about the walled garden, the glass hardware, how Apple 'invents' everything, and take an exceedingly disturbing amount of pleasure in leveling criticism at a product they're not going to buy. The call iPhone users 'iSheep' and 'iLemmings' and other stupid iNames. Why? I don't know, but I find it bizarre and disturbing that people feel and feel the need to express such vitriol over the phone choices of people they don't even know. Repeat after me: it's just a phone.

So today the video made the rounds. It landed on iMore's Android-loving sister site Android Central, with the title of "If you've seen one, you've seen the next one". Fair enough, as we said, there's not an obvious physical difference if you don't know any better. And on CrackBerry as "iSheep in Action". Really, Kevin? Really? I know that's playing to the home crowd, but the people in that video likely aren't the type that would qualify as 'iSheep', blindly following Apple into whatever Cupertinoian crevice they venture. The comments on both articles are even worse.

What would happen if you pulled aside a random person on the street, handed them a Samsung Galaxy S II running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and told them it was a Galaxy S III? Probably the same exact thing - it seems thinner, faster, and lighter than the old one. It's an expectations and knowledge game, one that the vast majority of people on this planet would fail.

The people that read this site, Android Central, CrackBerry, and really practically every tech site out there aren't the average person. We're interested in tech to the point that we want to know about what's coming up next and actively seek out information before it's public knowledge. We know the difference between the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 because we're actually interested in what the differences are, and wouldn't likely be fooled if you put an older phone in our hands and told us it was the new one. Same goes for Android users, Windows Phone fans, and every other technology segment where you can find fans of the product. The fans know it inside and out, but they're the minority to the overwhelming majority of users who wouldn't know the difference.

It's a phone. Nothing more, nothing less. It's an appliance, a tool to help us get more done throughout the day. Did we all hate on somebody for using a yellow legal pad to take notes instead of a college-ruled white notebook? No, I don't remember that. Just like I don't seem to remember people rudely and publicly criticizing a group of people just because they wear different shoes.

We all make choices about what we wear, where we go, who we talk to, what we buy, and what we do. Our choices are defined by who we are, not the other way around. Just because somebody chose to buy an iPhone and doesn't recognize the new iPhone they've never seen before doesn't make them an 'iSheep' anymore than somebody owning a Toyota Corolla, liking it, and not noticing when you show them a same-year Corolla and tell them it's a new car makes them a Toyotanite.

It's time to stop labeling people by the products they buy. It's time for the irrational, unwarranted, and frankly nonsensical hate between iPhone and BlackBerry and Android and Windows Phone to stop (and for webOS users to stop crying in the corner), just like the time has long past for Windows and Mac users to stop looking down their noses at each other. There are so many much more important and pressing issues in the world today that it's disappointing to see people taking the time out of their day to spew virulent hatred towards other over truly inconsequential purchasing decisions. They're just phones, it's time to recognize that and move on.

Also, watch the video. It's amusing.

Prior to the iPhone 5 event we saw a lot of rumors floated about NFC (Near Field Communications) and whether or not Apple would include it in their new, flagship device. Now that the event is over, the iPhone 5 is here, and NFC isn't, many people are surprised by the ommission, and by the ommission of  wireless charging. In an interview with AllThingsD's Ina Fried, Apple Senior VP Phil Schiller laid out the reasons for the lack of NFC and wireless charging in the iPhone 5:

It's not clear that NFC is the solution to any current problem, Schiller said. "Passbook does the kinds of things customers need today.

On the topic of wireless charging, similar ideals were stated:

Schiller noted that the wireless charging systems still have to be plugged into the wall, so it's not clear how much convenience they add. The widely-adopted USB cord, meanwhile, can charge in wall outlets, computers and even on airplanes, he said. "Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated," Schiller said.

In speaking of the new dock connector, Schiler highlighted how thin the new iPhone 5 was and stated that design has been in use since iPods as far back as 2003, in order to meet the size demands of today and create products as thin as what Apple unveiled, a change and adoption of the new "Lightning" connector was needed

"This is the new connector for many years to come," he said.

In other words, yes, you may have to pick up some accessories but those accessories will be able to be used over the next few years. Anyone think Apple's making a short-term mistake and NFC and wireless charging will be must-have competive features this year?

Source: All Things D

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Apple's old 30-pin iPod connector carried a lot of legacy support through the years, but it also was a capable, if chunky, connection. Those 30 pins could handle a whole hell of a lot, including serial, line-in, and component and composite video. With the switch to the new 8-pin Lightning connector on the iPhone 5, new iPod Nano, and new iPod Touch, some notable benefits were achieved, including a full digital pipe, a fully-reversible design, and a much smaller footprint. But some things might have been lost, like video out.

For the iPhone 4S, Apple's tech specs lists under TV and Video that the smartphone supports AirPlay streaming to an Apple TV, 1080p mirroring and video out over the Apple Digital AV Adapter (Apple's 30-pin-to-HDMI joiner), 480p/576p with the Apple Component AV Cable (RGB plus stereo audio, since discontinued in favor of the HDMI adapter), and 480i/576i with the Apple Composite AV Cable (yellow video, stereo audio).

For the iPhone 5, there's AirPlay. You can stream 1080p video to a third generation Apple TV (which supports 1080p) or 720p video to the second generation little black box (which doesn't support 1080p), and you can mirror your iPhone 5 to either black streaming box at 720p. For what it's worth, 720p at 720x1280 pixels is close to the iPhone 5's turned-sideways screen resolution of 1136x640. Either way it would have to be scaled up to 1080p, so broadcasting the mirroring at 720p offloads that upscaling processing to the external display instead of the iPhone, saving precious battery life, preserving Wi-Fi bandwidth, and keeping that A6 processor a bit cooler.

In case you're wondering if you might be able to get video out working on a soon-to-be-yours iPhone 5 with the Lightning-to-30-pin adapter or cable, don't hold your breath. Both adapters state video out functionality is not supported.

There are two possibilities here. Either physical video out has gone the way of the floppy with the Lightning connector, or Apple will at some point make break-out cables that translate the Lightning digital signal into HDMI, VGA, and older formats.

If hard line video out is gone, in a way it makes sense. Apple's charging forward with wireless streaming, but it's frustrating for anybody who regularly uses the adapter to display what's on your device on a bigger display without the need for a wireless network. Any presentation-giving road warrior that got used to just plugging their iPhone or iPad into a projector or HDTV via an adapter in the boardroom they're visiting will be facing a future of carrying around an Apple TV, HDMI cable, and an Airport Express just to get video off an iPhone 5 (and presumably future iPads) and onto that bigger screen.

If Apple is planning to release breakout cables, like they have for Thunderbolt on the Mac, let's hope they do it soon. Let's also hope Apple's planning to license AirPlay video streaming to display and projector manufacturers, and including Wi-Fi Direct coupling capability so one can hook up to them without a wireless network present. If not, the Lightning connector just made mobile presentation life a lot more difficult.

Source: Apple

Apple has released the complete iPhone 5 event video from yesterday on its Podcast channel which you can find within iTunes. The video can be downloaded from Apple's channel for viewing at your convenience but be warned, it is a high quality video; the complete download is around 1.34GB. If you don't want to wait for it to download, you can also watch a stream of the event over at apple.com.

Free Download Now

Still no sign of the keynote hitting YouTube, we will let you know when it does!

A brief chunk of today's iPhone 5 event was dedicated to the new smartphone's support for "wideband audio" phone calls. What wideband audio offers is phone calls with audio that's been less compressed than your typical cell phone call. The average cell phone emphasizes the mid-range where most of your voice pitch resides, and heavily compresses and thus distorts the higher and lower ranges. Wideband audio still applies some compression, but it's not as harsh on the upper and lower frequencies, offering a wider range of pitch and thus more lifelike sound. It also enhanced noise cancellation and makes it easier to differentiate what you're listening to.

Unless you're on Sprint, which apparently won't support wideband audio on the iPhone 5. According to a statement given to Phone Scoop by Sprint, the Now Network won't be offering their HD Voice service (the marketing name for wideband audio voice) on the iPhone 5.

No specific reasoning was given why Sprint won't be one of the claimed twenty carriers globally that will be supporting wideband audio on the iPhone 5. Sprint does offer HD Voice on the Android-powered HTC Evo 4G LTE, though like Sprint's LTE network, only select markets will have HD Voice support by the end of the year.

We don't know what other carriers might offer support for wideband audio on the iPhone 5, but considering the dozens and dozens of carriers that will offer the device, it's disappointing to only hear the number twenty. Verizon's own HD Voice tinkering has been done using VOLTE (Voice Over LTE), which Apple doesn't support. AT&T hasn't tinkered with HD Voice yet, but they'll be doing it over VOLTE as well.

Sure, we don't make phone calls as often as we used to, but when we do we'd love for them to be sounding better than they currently do.

Source: Phone Scoop

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The recently announced iPhone 5 is going to sport new and improved cameras that allow you to take Panorama images be simply panning across a scene, 40% faster photo capture, better low-light performance, improved noise reduction, enhanced 1080p HD video recording, a front-facing camera that can record 720p HD video, and more.

Take better photos with the iPhone 5

Although the iPhone 5's camera did not receive a bump in megapixels over the iPhone 4S, the new camera does have improved HDR capabilities that will produce better color and tone and reduce motion blur. Apple also claims that the quality of photographs taken in low light have improved -- but I'll believe that when I see it.

Shoot panorama photos automagically with the iPhone 5

One of the huge new additions to iOS 6 and the iPhone 5 (and iPhone 4S) camera is the new panorama feature that lets you capture up to 240 degrees of scenery. The gyroscope, new A6 chip, and Camera app all work together to seamlessly create a single shot with a resolution of up to 38 megapixels.

Record better video with the iPhone 5

Just like the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5 is equipped with the ability to shoot 1080p HD video, but Apple boasts that the iPhone 5 camera will let in more light, creating brighter videos. The auto white balance and noise reduction have also been improved, and image stabilization is still included, of course.

Take photos while recording video with the iPhone 5

One of the great new features of the Camera app that is exclusive to the iPhone 5 is the ability to take still images while simultaneously recording 1080p HD video. I'm personally very excited about this because I often choose not to record video because I don't want to miss the opportunity for a good photo.

Better video compression with the iPhone 5

With the iPhone 5, you'll be able to record the same high-quality 1080p HD video as with the iPhone 4S, but the iPhone 5 is equipped with better compression algorithms making the file sizes 20% smaller. This means it'll be faster to email or send via MMS.

Built from Sapphire Crystal

The surface of the iPhone 5's iSight camera is made out of sapphire crystal making it, well, crystal clear. But in addition to clarity, sapphire crystal offer a hardness level that is second only to diamond on the scale of transparent materials. What does this mean for you? The lens is much less likely to scratch.

iPhone 5 features a FaceTime HD camera

It wasn't only the rear-facing iSight camera on the iPhone 5 that got a boost -- the front-facing FaceTime camera is now finally capable of 720 HD video recording. I've always avoided using the front-facing camera like the plague, but hopefully it won't be too bad, now. Additionally, FaceTime Video calls are also possible over a cellular connection without WiFi, but availability is up to the carriers.

Your thoughts on the iPhone 5's new camera?

So there's a quick recap of the new features of the iPhone 5's camera. What do you think? What are you most excited about? Personally, the ability to automagically take panoramic photos is very exciting to me, but even more exciting is the ability to take photos while recording video.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

The iMore Show returns LIVE tonight and we'll be doing a full post-game, post-event, post-iPhone 5 analysis of everything you need to know. Joining yours truly and Georgia will be App Cubby's own David Barnard. Seriously, you don't want to miss this!

Plus, we'll be answering your questions so leave them in the comments below, #imoreshow them on Twitter, or email them to podcast@imore.com.

Join us LIVE at 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am BST. Set an alarm. Bookmark this page. Be here.

Want to go full screen? Head to iMore.com/live. Want to watch via iPhone or iPad? Grab the Ustream app and search for "mobilenations"!

Apple has posted the streaming version of today's iPhone 5 event. Eventually we expect YouTube and iTunes Podcast versions as well, but for now, if you've simply got to see it immediately, hit up apple.com and start your streams.

Source: Apple.com

During today's iPhone 5 press event, they made a point of paying special attention to the new radio chip at use in the new smartphone. Like iPhones before it, the iPhone 5 uses a single chip to manage all of the various radios and bands it has to address in order to be used on networks around the globe. Problem is, throwing LTE into the mix makes things a little more complicated. LTE actually adds seven - yes, seven - new bands into the mix, nearly doubling the number of bands needed to be supported between the 4G standard, HSPA, GSM, and CDMA.

Unlike GSM and HSPA networks, which with the exception of the US have all managed to settled on a common and interoperable set of frequencies across international borders, LTE networks around the globe are all on different bands, making building a device that will work on all a pain and a half. Case in point, in the US alone, AT&T's LTE is on bands 4 and 17, while Sprint is on 25 and Verizon takes up band 13. Internationally there's even more frequency flavor, with bands 3 and 7 getting a lot of traffic around the globe, band 4 getting picked up by Bell and Telus in Canada (to maintain compatibility with AT&T LTE devices), and a smattering of other bands.

So how does the iPhone 5 fit into this LTE banding mess? With two different models, one for US GSM+LTE (A1428), and another for CDMA+LTE and global GSM+LTE (A1429). Both support the full range of GSM and HSPA frequencies, but for LTE the GSM version runs on bands 4 and 17 (good for AT&T, Bell, and Rogers - and technically T-Mobile USA, if not for want of an actual LTE network and GSM compatibility), while the CDMA version supports LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 13, and 25. That's band 1 NTT DOCOMO in Japan, 3 for over thirty networks around the globe, 5 for South Korea's SK Telecom, 13 for Verizon in the USA, and 25 for Sprint in the USA. The global GSM+LTE version drops support for the US-specific LTE bands 13 and 25, though for all intents and purposes it's the same device as the CDMA+LTE version (hence the identical model numbers)

To break that down into something easier to understand… the GSM+LTE A1248 iPhone 5 is good for GSM networks in North America, namely AT&T, Bell, and Telus. The CDMA+LTE/global GSM+LTE A1249 iPhone is good for Sprint and Verizon in the US and a large majority of other LTE networks around the globe. If you live in the US and travel to Canada and want LTE while you're there, go with the AT&T version. If you're in the US and travel often to the rest of the world, go with Sprint or Verizon for international LTE coverage. If you happen to travel between Canada and the rest of the world and want LTE, sorry.

There's one more wrinkle: LTE band 7, which isn't supported by either version of the iPhone. That becomes an issue if your preferred carrier is somebody like O2 in the UK, Yota in Russia, or any of the other 20-odd LTE networks that only operate on band 7. In fact, whole countries like Austria, Brazil, Columbia, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland that already have operational LTE networks are completely cut out of getting LTE from the iPhone 5 thanks to their choice to rely entirely on Band 7. That could be fixed with the next iPhone, or when a network running on one of the iPhone 5's many supported bands is launched. Regardless, they all have 3G networks that the iPhone 5 will work on just fine, and get better battery life to boot.

Why did this happen? Because LTE is hard. The bands on which LTE operates vary from country to country due to political and economic reasons. For example, in the USA, LTE band 25 is in the 1900 MHz range, and is shared with HSPA+, while Verizon's 700 MHz Band 13 was won at auction from the United States government and was formerly dedicated to broadcasting UHF channels 52-69 on analog television. AT&T's band 17 fits into that same 700MHz auction block, but band 4 operates in the 1700MHz and 2100MHz frequency ranges - both common to UMTS AWS, i.e. the frequencies used by T-Mobile's HSPA+ network. The spread of LTE bands means less interference and more bandwidth in those frequencies (not that that's been a problem when networks do occupy the same frequency bands, as in all of Europe), but also mean that getting all of that into a single chip is an exercise in radio magic.

Thus, there are two iPhone 5 smartphones. There's the A1248 for AT&T and Canada, and the A1249 for Sprint, Verizon, and almost everybody else. In the end, unless you're a globetrotter who travels between the United States and Canada or the United States and Europe, you probably won't care or notice which iPhone 5 you get, it'll just be the one assigned to your network or the unlocked one you picked up to work on not-AT&T/Canada. Only US-based international travelers need worry about the LTE bands of their selected iPhone, and even then that's going to be determined by the carrier you choose for your service at home. Chances are the two iPhone 5 models are actually the same device and carry the same chip inside, but due to the capabilities of that chip and the phone's radios they have different firmware to deal with the multitude of LTE bands it must process.

We do have to admit, though, it's odd to be recommending a Sprint or Verizon device for people who want comprehensive international coverage instead of AT&T. It wasn't that long ago that things were the other way around.

Source: Apple; Via: The Verge

For Canadians looking to get their hands on a new iPhone 5, there will be no shortage of carriers to choose from. Along with the big three, a lot of their subsidiary providers will be on board as well for the launch.

Bell, TELUS, Rogers, Fido, Koodo and Virgin Mobile in Canada will be kicking off their preorder events starting on September 14th with the iPhone 5 officially shipping on September 21st. When it comes to pricing, the iPhone 5 will take over the previous generations iPhone 4S price points, assuming you're not making use of any special upgrade offers from the carriers:

• $199 for 16GB
• $299 for 32GB
• $399 for 64GB

If you're looking to go unlocked directly from Apple, you'll need to pay out a quite a bit more. $699 for the 16GB, $799 for the 32GB and $899 for the 64GB respectively. It's also important to note that there could be other carriers lined up as well, as the above listed are the ones offering LTE.

The iPhone 5 destined for Canada is actually the A1428 model meaning it will work on other carriers who but it not have LTE available to it unless they LTE service and offer the band used by the iPhone 5.

Rogers customers will be able to use the Rogers reservation system to get their hands on the iPhone 5 while Bell customers will be able to order online and in-stores. TELUS at this time hasn't laid out their plans as of yet, but that info should be along shortly and we'll update accordingly.

If you're itching to buy a brand new iPhone 5 the minute it hits store shelves but already have an iPhone, selling it can help offset some, if not all of the cost, especially if you're not yet eligible for an upgrade and have to pay a premium. Odds are you've already decided which capacity and color you'll be getting when the iPhone 5 drops so you have some idea of how much money you need to get out of your current iPhone to cover the purchase.

So if you don't fancy handing it down for free to a family member or using it as a backup phone, we can guide you in the right direction when it comes to selling your old iPhone and getting top dollar for it.

Getting top dollar for your iPhone

Many people who buy their iPhones second hand are most likely planning on using it with a pre-paid service or on a carrier that doesn't currently carry the iPhone, such as T-Mobile. Here are some things you can do to make sure your iPhone will fetch top dollar.

Jailbreak and/or unlock your iPhone

If you've got an iPhone that's on a firmware version that is currently unlockable, your phone will most likely sell a lot quicker than other iPhones that aren't unlockable. AT&T and some other carriers will unlock out of contract iPhones so if you're out of contract you may be able to just call your carrier and request an unlock. This will most likely work for most people with an iPhone 4 or older generation iPhone as most will be out of contract by now.

If you aren't out of contract, you may still be able to unlock it through jailbreaking it and using a tool like ultrasn0w. This will depend on which model iPhone you have and what firmware you're running so make sure your iPhone can be unlocked before attempting it.

Even if you can't unlock your iPhone, jailbroken iPhones and ones that can be jailbroken tend to fetch a higher dollar amount than ones that can't. So be ready to answer that question if a seller asks if the iPhone can be jailbroken. Check out the following links for more information and help with jailbreaking and unlocking.

• Everything you need to know about jailbreaking and unlocking
• Jailbreak and unlock discussion forums

Condition and pictures

iPhones hold their value rather well as long as you take care of them. If you've taken excellent care of your iPhone you can probably get a little more for it than someone else who is trying to sell off their banged up iPhone. The key to making a quick sale is to make sure you're honest and open about the condition of your iPhone.

To make sure you are representing your product, take high quality pictures of the actual iPhone and avoid stock images at all costs. Many buyers will skip over listings that have stock images in them and only buy from sellers that include pictures of the actual iPhone. If there are any minor scratches or nicks, photograph those too. Buyers like honest sellers and it helps build trust.

Include accessories and original cables

If you've got the original cables and accessories that came with your iPhone, that's a great selling point. If you have the original box it came in, that's even better. For an even quicker sale, you can include some accessories or cases you've purchased for it over time. If you're upgrading from an older generation iPhone to the iPhone 5, cases won't be compatible due to the size difference. So throw them in to sweeten the deal and sell your iPhone faster.

Putting your iPhone up for sale

Now that you've got all the information collected about your iPhone and what accessories you want to include in the sale, it's time to actually list it sell it. There are many places online that you can utilize as well as listing sites that allow you to meet up with buyers locally. We'll cover the ones we recommend and you can decide which one is best for you personally.

We'll go over some options first that'll get you cash or credit quickly and then we'll take a look at services like Craigslist and eBay that may fetch you more for your old iPhone but will require a little more patience and maybe some haggling with an actual seller.

Apple Reuse and Recycling Program

Apple will gladly buy back your old iPhone and either reuse it as a refurbished unit or recycle it on your behalf through their Reuse and Recycling Program. You'll be asked a series of questions regarding the condition, capacity, and color of your iPhone. It's important that you're honest because Apple will of course check that what you told them matches the actual condition once they receive the iPhone.

After Apple certifies that the iPhone is in working condition they'll issue you an Apple Store gift card that you can use towards any purchase. For most of you, that'll be towards your new iPhone.

Apple's program is currently offering up to $345 for a mint condition 64GB iPhone 4S. While it's an easy way to get some quick Apple cash, other services can probably fetch you far more for your old iPhone. Unless you are only interested in quick cash and enough of it to cover a new iPhone, continue reading for more options.

Amazon Trade-In Store

Amazon, like Apple, will buy back your old iPhone as well through the Amazon Trade-In Store. The only hitch here is that you'll be given payment in the form of an Amazon gift card. If you're looking for hard cash to put towards a new iPhone purchase and you don't want to wait for Amazon to have it in stock, it may not be the best option.

If you're okay with Amazon credit though, it's a pretty painless process. You'll choose the model, capacity, and color of your current iPhone and add it to your trade-in. You'll then be given a shipping label and instructions. Once Amazon receives your old iPhone, they'll issue you an Amazon gift card for the trade-in value. Amazon is currently offering around $400 for a mint condition 16GB iPhone 4S which isn't a bad deal at all considering that's higher than what Apple is offering for a 64GB iPhone 4S.

Gazelle

Gazelle offers a service that lets you easily turn most electronic devices into cash. Simply send in your iPhone and Gazelle will send you money after confirming the item condition. The first thing you'll need to do is tell Gazelle what you're selling and what condition the item is in. You can choose from poor, fair, good or excellent condition, and it's important to be honest when rating the condition so there's no hiccups or snags along the way. It also helps if you have the box and original documentation and cables with your item. Also make sure you check for any water damage, as Gazelle will too once they receive the iPhone.

Currently, a 16GB iPhone 4S in normal condition will fetch you around $277 while one in mint condition will get you $290. Again, always be honest about the condition. While Gazelle is a quick way to get money for your old iPhone, you can probably get quite a bit more on services like Craigslist and eBay if you can be a bit more patient with the actual selling process.

SellYourMac.com

SellYourMac.com offers a similar service to Gazelle by letting you send in your old iPhone for payment with little to no hassle involved. They'll not only buy your old iPhone, but any Apple gear you have laying around. This is a good option if you have other Apple products you're willing to sell besides an old iPhone.

You'll be required to provide pictures along with a serial number next to your item description and condition. Once SellYourMac.com receives your iPhone they clean it, inspect it and verify that it's in working condition before they turn around and sell it on eBay. Users can receive payment via Paypal if they choose as well. SellYourMac's quotes are a little higher than other competing services such as Gazelle. A 16GB iPhone 4S in mint condition is currently worth $305 on SellYourMac.

eBay

Selling your iPhone on eBay is a pretty simple process. If you've ever used eBay for selling things in the past then you know the selling process isn't all that tricky, however there are still some things to keep in mind when using eBay to sell your iPhone. For instance, eBay charges fees for each auction based on the item you're selling and how much it sells for, among other things, so here are five quick tips to help you get the most out of your auction:

1. Only ship to the buyer's confirmed Paypal address if using Paypal.
2. Price competitively, especially if you're using Buy It Now as an option.
3. Make sure the pictures you use follow your description and are good quality - post pictures of any physical blemishes on the iPhone and be up-front in your description.
4. Use a fast shipping service and make sure you include that in your item description. People are impatient by nature so sellers that offer fast shipping tend to sell items quicker.
5. Use keywords in your title and in your item description to attract more potential buyers.
6. You may also want to consider insuring your item in case anything goes wrong during shipping. Watch out for low-feedback buyers and also keep in mind that Paypal charges processing fees as well.

Craigslist

Craigslist allows you to list items for sale in your area so you can perform the transaction locally and face-to-face. This is a quick way to get some cash for your iPhone on the spot and also an easy way to let the buyer check out the iPhone in person before committing to the purchase. As long as you were honest about the condition and specifications, you should have no issue in completing a painless transaction with a buyer.

1. Don't ever put your personal or home address in an ad. Ever!
2. Price your iPhone competitively. A good way to do this is to find existing ads on Craigslist in your area for iPhones that are the same model, capacity, and condition as yours and price accordingly. If your iPhone shows up next to someone else's and yours is grossly overpriced, it won't sell.
3. Some buyers prefer being able to text or call you immediately about an item and it may increase the likelihood of a quick sale. Having a phone number that they can reach you at is ideal. Only do this if you're comfortable with putting your phone number on the internet. This is a good time to use a Google Voice number or other forwarding number if you have one.
4. Meet in a public place, preferably in the daytime. A coffee place like Starbucks is a good idea. It's also never a bad idea to bring a friend or relative with you. While most buyers are perfectly friendly, there are shady people out there. If the person doesn't want to meet in a public place, pass on them and wait for someone who doesn't have an issue with that.
5. Watch out for email scams, something Craigslist is notorious for. Anyone offering to pay you a great deal more than the list price or who asks you to ship the item to a foreign country is a scammer. Delete their e-mails and correspondence immediately and wait for a legitimate buyer to come along.

Sell your iPhone to a friend or family member

Even you aren't willing to part with your old iPhone for free it doesn't mean friends or family members aren't interested in buying it from you. Perhaps they don't have an iPhone or aren't eligible for an upgrade and don't care about having the newest model available. Using this method you ensure that your old iPhone finds a good home and you know the buyer isn't a scam artist.

Ask around and offer a reasonable price and you may be surprised how many of your friends or family members could be willing to snag your old iPhone. Throwing in accessories such as cases can help sweeten the deal as well.

Get more help selling your old iPhone

Whether you just aren't sure which method to use, need advice on what condition you should list your iPhone as, or what you should price it at, we're here to help. You can leave any questions you have about selling your old iPhone in the comments below or better yet, in our iMore forums where lots of our members have years of experience selling and trading gadgets of all kinds.

One of our members may even be interested in taking your old iPhone off your hands so be sure to check out our Marketplace forum as well!

Apple's 90-plus minute iPhone 5 launch event was packed with details about the new device's hardware and software, but for viewers in the UK, the most important information was covered in just a few frames of video. As the camera panned over the map of iPhone 5 LTE carriers across the globe, Brits got their confirmation of what many had suspected -- the world's first 4G iPhone would work on their country's first 4G network.

It's a huge deal for the carrier in question, EE (formerly known as Everything Everywhere). EE is a new 4G-focused network formed by the merger of Orange and T-Mobile UK, and yesterday it announced the launch of the UK's first 4G LTE service, which will become available "within weeks." Coverage is expected to extend to some 20 million Brits in 16 major cities by the end of the year.

EE is re-farming some of its existing 2G spectrum for use with 4G, as the UK's 4G spectrum auction has been subject to endless delays caused by back-and-forth legal wrangling between competing carriers. Because EE's 4G runs on less-commonly-used 1800MHz radio frequencies, there'd been speculation that the iPhone 5 may have supported 4G, just not the right kind to work in the UK. Fortunately for EE, that wasn't the case.

So in the space of 36 hours, EE launched the UK's first 4G network, and got a killer hero device to go with it in the form of the iPhone 5. For at least the next twelve months, EE will be the only place to get hold of a 4G iPhone in the UK, and you can expect them to drive that advantage home at every opportunity. Advertisements will point out that EE's iPhone 5 is the only true iPhone 5, and that to use such a device on a lowly HSPA+ network is sacrilege. Competitors will split hairs and counter that their DC-HSPA+ networks offers comparable speeds at a lower battery cost.

Whatever the public-facing response, O2, Vodafone and Three will be far from thrilled about EE's effective monopoly over British 4G. In fact, O2 had made noises suggesting it might pursue legal action to block EE's network switch-on, though a settlement is now rumored to have been reached. If nothing else, the need to compete with EE may serve to hurry along the perpetually delayed auction of 800MHz and 2600MHz spectrum for 4G. This is currently scheduled to take place early next year.

Though EE's network hasn't officially launched yet, it'll start selling the iPhone 5 on Sept. 21 through its Orange and T-Mobile UK brands, just like everyone else. Orange and Tmo iPhone 5 customers will then be able to "move" to the new EE 4G network once it's up and running, so the other three networks won't even have the advantage of a head start over their 4G nemesis. There's no question that it's a big win for EE, and the potent mix of iPhone 5 and 4G speed is sure to tempt many a British phone buyer in the weeks ahead.

It's a situation that reminds us of the early iPhone days, when O2 had exclusivity over the original iPhone and iPhone 3G. It's been almost three years since the effect of an exclusive iPhone was felt in the UK smartphone market, and though competition is considerably fiercer in 2012, iPhone lust is still a force to be reckoned with.

So EE will likely experience a huge influx of customers off the back of the iPhone 5, and that's sure to test its fledgling LTE network. Mobile Nations had the chance to test EE's 4G service at yesterday's launch event, and we saw speeds of around 30Mbps down and 25Mbps up. However, that's on a test network, being carefully maintained for press demonstrations. The reality of a public 4G network burdened by hundreds of thousands of data-guzzling iPhone 5 users could be quite different.

EE's claims about the capabilities of its next-gen network will be put to a very public test, as will Apple's statements about its efficient new radio tech. If the perception emerges that 4G is a battery killer with few real-world benefits, it could be harmful to both EE and Apple.

But there's also the question of cost and data caps. Rival Three is certain offer the iPhone 5 with unlimited data on DC-HSPA+, as it does all its smartphones, and that could give it a way to compete with EE if the latter doesn't offer an unlimited 4G plan. EE will want to exploit its 4G iPhone advantage to the fullest, with more expensive price plans in exchange for that extra Gee of connectivity. The door could then be left open for other networks to offer really compelling, competitive 3G deals.

However things pan out, you can probably expect to pay a pretty penny if you want to enjoy that tantalizing combination of an iPhone 5, 4G connectivity and a high (or unlimited) data cap.

The 4G transition period is going to be an interesting time for the UK mobile marketplace, and with a 4G iPhone thrown into the mix, things are going to get intensely competitive over the next few months. Keep watching iMore for more details of the iPhone 5 and LTE in the UK as they come to light.

So Apple has announced the iPhone 5 and while there's only one of them, like every year, there's still a lot of choices to be made. Which color? Which capacity? Which carrier? We'll have our usual, complete iPhone 5 buyers guide up for you before pre-orders start, but we just wanted a quick poll to see which way the iMore nations was leaning. You know what to do, fill out the polls below, and tell me why you're choosing the way you're choosing in the comments below.

That's it. The September 12 Apple event is over. The iPhone 5 It's like on your birthday when you sneak a peak at your presidents but secretly hope your mom or dad managed to keep just one small surprise for you. Or when you read the spoilers but still somehow hope there'll be a killer twist at the end.

So it was with Apple's 2012 iPhone event. Anyone who's read anything over the last few days and months new pretty much what to expect, even as they desperately wanted the unexpected. That's on us. Not Apple. But still, there are things Apple didn't do this time that rumors suggested they might, and things they're not doing that the competition are. Here are 10 examples.

1. Totally new design. I told you the leaks were it. Some of you didn't want to believe -- or rather wanted to believe in something else. Not this year.
2. Colors: iPod touches come in colors now. So will the Nokia Lumia 920. Not the iPhone 5 though. That's still as black and white as Bond's tuxedo.
3. PureView-class camera. Nokia raised the bar to the stratosphere with OIS (optical image stabilization) that "floats" the camera so it can stay open longer and collect more light. It also oversamples. The iPhone 5 camera is better than before, but not that much better.
4. Wireless charging. The Palm Pre had it. The Samsung Galaxy S3 has it. The Nokia Lumia 920 has it. Apple doesn't seem interested.
5. NFC. If the iPhone 5 has Near-Field Communications hardware, Apple didn't talk about it today. Nor did they talk about mobile payments, check ins, or any typical NFC features.
6. No Wi-Fi direct. No non-network, AirPlay to Apple TV. No device-to-device data transmission. No iPod nano watch.
7. No super-sensitive touch. Nokia says you can use the Lumia 920 with gloves on. No such luck with the iPhone 5.
8. Predictive, localized Siri. Unlike Google Now, Siri didn't get on-device text parsing. It also didn't get better contextual awareness. So even though it knows where you are and all your information, it can only do what you tell it. Unlike Google Now, it can't anticipate.
9. New iOS 6 features. No widgets, no actionable notifications, no nothing that wasn't shown off already, besides panorama photography.
10. New iCloud features. Sure, Notes and Reminders are coming, but iCloud didn't any major updates we didn't already know about.

Anything else? Any features you really, really wanted to see that Apple didn't give you?