iPhone 5 : Will 4G or Accessories Matter More?

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By: Janet Kalandranis

It happened: the new Apple iPhone was debuted on Wednesday. Of course the anticipation was worth the wait, and today is the day to preorder. The two days between the announcement and preorder are definitely longer than the time between the releases of each new iPhone. As the announcement was made and consumers listened, there was excitement around the new features and sleek new design. But is the upgrade — the one that is better, faster, and longer — going to cost consumers more dollars than they are willing to spend?

The talk and focus around the new iPhone 5 was of course about 4G — it's the only phone to push the bounds of 3G and go for more. This new 4G technology has forced carriers to upgrade, but the change is welcome. The iPhone 5 will push customers to the new product and ultimately allow carriers to phase out 2G and 3G in the next couple of years. Oh, and for the consumer, it means a LOT more data, something customers have been waiting for and hoping that Apple would answer their need. So it’s all about the 4G, right?

Well, maybe not. With the new design, slimmer and longer, there’s a need to upgrade most of the iPhone accessories. I'm not sure if consumers will be happy about this, but so far the conversation is more about excitement than about additional costs. Still, these costs can add up pretty quickly. In order to get the lower cost of the iPhone 5, there’s a two-year contract. Then there is the need for a new adapter or replacing current car chargers, stereo docks, and AV adapters. And then there is the new case, the new screen cover, and of course the new armband for those long runs. The cost of the iPhone 5 seems to be rising quite quickly.

So maybe the cost for the upgrade is a little mysterious, or maybe customers are just so happy to have the enhancements that these are expected. Either way, it seems like Apple might have won over consumers with the latest release — today’s numbers should answer that question rather quickly.