Local iPhone 5 aspirants are now able to get their hands on Apple's latest iPhone, without having to join a waiting list with a nebulous time frame, or forego their first choice of handset colour.
This is according to SA's mobile operators, which say their stores now have sufficient stock of the high-end smartphone that had South Africans queuing and waiting for it - sometimes to no avail - just a few weeks ago.
While analysts alluded to the possibility of the iPhone 5 "shortage" being something of a marketing tactic, many consumers said they had tried numerous channels in their quest to obtain the phone, and had still not been successful.
iPhone bounty
SA's four main mobile companies opened sales of iPhone 5 to the public around the middle of December. Even before mid-January, however, a widespread shortage revealed itself in numerous consumer complaints.
iStore SA said at the time that the iPhone 5 had elicited exceptional interest, with the store seeing unprecedented demand, both in terms of customers purchasing for cash, as well as on cellular contracts.
Yesterday, Vodacom confirmed it has stock, in store, of all three iPhone models - the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB - as well as availability in both black and white.
Similarly, MTN's GM of product solutions, Mike Fairon, confirmed iPhone 5 stock is now available at selected MTN stores countrywide.
Telkom's mobile arm, 8ta, also said yesterday that most of its stores have stock of the iPhone 5 in the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models. "Stock levels in each store vary according to the demand. Similarly, while we carry both the black and white handsets, availability will vary accordingly by store."
8ta says, subject to the availability of their preferred model, customers with all the necessary RICA documents can be credit vetted and leave the store with their new handset within an hour. Company applications, says the operator, may take a little longer (24 to 36 hours) to complete, as additional documentation is required.
Cell C said this morning it has "limited stock" spread across its various stores and channel partners. The operator confirmed this includes all three models, and both black and white handsets.
Correlated timing?
World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck says there is some significance in the timing of the iPhone 5 shortage relief.
"It is also significant that the logjams have been removed on the eve of the launch of BlackBerry 10. The two initial BlackBerry 10 devices due to be announced today are likely to be aimed at the same segment of the market as the iPhone 5."
Goldstuck notes that the iPhone 5 is one of the most expensive phones on the South African market.
"The initial high-end BlackBerry 10 phones are expected to be launched at a lower price than the iPhone 5, and are expected to spark a new marketing war between Apple, BlackBerry and Samsung."
World Wide Worx research, he points out, has, however, shown that high-end phones have not in the past contributed meaningfully to market share in SA.
The research company's Mobile Consumer in SA 2012 report revealed in July that Apple only had 1% of the country's market share, while BlackBerry and Samsung both had 18% (with BlackBerry share expected to rise, largely thanks to the mass appeal of the low-end Curve range, says Goldstuck) and Nokia by far held the majority, with 50% of the local cellphone market.
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