The iPhone 5 is finally, officially alive and Apple has also now revealed how many of your English pounds you'll have to shell out to own its latest superphone.
The basic iPhone 5 model starts at an eye-watering £529 -- which is the price-tag for the 16GB flavour of the phone.
Apple is also selling 32GB and 64GB versions of the iPhone 5. The 32GB iPhone 5 will set you back £599, while the top of the line 64GB version is being sold at £699.
If the prospect of shelling out at least half a grand on a phone has left you feeling like Tim Cook punched you right in the gut, there is some good news to soften the blow: Apple has cut the price of the two older iPhone models it's still selling.
Last year's iPhone 4S will now start at £449 for the 16GB model -- a price cut of £50 -- while the iPhone 4 has had its price slashed by more than £100. The 8GB iPhone 4 will now start at £319, a drop of £110, which was the price Apple was selling the iPhone 3GS at, its former budget iPhone.
Apple is finally retiring the venerable old iPhone 3GS but it's effectively made the iPhone 4 its new mid range phone by giving it a starter price-tag that will allow it to compete against a swathe of Android's midriff.
Of course buying the iPhone 5 -- or any iPhone -- SIM free at full price isn't the only way to get your hands on it: UK mobile operators will also be offering the iPhone 5 subsidised on contract.
The iPhone 5 is definitely coming to EE's new 4GEE network -- and both its Orange and T-Mobile brands are offering pre-order pages. But there's currently no word on contract prices yet. Three has also said it will be offering the iPhone 5 on contract.
We'll be updating this story once we know more on contract prices.
If you've got any existing iPhone accessories you want to keep using with the new iPhone 5, which has a smaller charger port, Apple is selling an adaptor. This Lightning to 30-pin adaptor costs £25.
Are you going to be buying the iPhone 5? Or would you rather save your half a grand to buy a car? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or sound off on our Facebook page.
Android App 
RSS Feeds 
iPhone App 
Newsletters 
24 month contract
24 month contract
Comments 56
Add your comment
anonymous 13 September, 2012 09:05
hahahahaha you have to be a MUG to buy this!! really, just wake up already!!!
anonymous 13 September, 2012 09:23
Pricing is now up on the apple UK site: £529 / £599 / £699 for the 3 sizes.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 09:35
"Are you going to be buying the iPhone 5? Or would you rather save your half a grand to buy a car?"
You won't get much of a car for that price!
Natasha Lomas 13 September, 2012 09:54
@anonymous 13 September, 2012 09:23 -- Thanks, anon. Story updated with full list of prices
anonymous 13 September, 2012 10:01
Does anyway one else think the apple is taking the piss? The 64gb version is listed as $399 in the US that's approximately £270 + sales tax. So if the pricing is correct apple thinks we are just a Big Cash Cow with no common sense if customers are going to pay £729 or $1094 for the same phone. Screw that for a box of chocolates I won't be upgrading and if I really, really want one it would be cheaper to find a bargain basement plane ticket, make a holiday of it and buy one in the US while you're there.
And furthermore we don't know if the phone will be 100% compatible with all UK 4G networks. So keeping smoking the methamphetamine apple you need to be a serious apple nut to buy the phone for this price. The phone looks good, but not at this price. I'll upgrade to a Samsung Galaxy III and save myself a whole heap of money.
fleabane 13 September, 2012 10:07
£529!!!! the US Apple site has the starting price of $199 which at todays rate is £123, at the very least and including tax blah blah, that's insulting, presumably all the various Gs won't work here though. Despite having spent a large part of the last twenty years of work and play in the Apple ecosystem, all of a sudden Android is looking a lot more attractive.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 10:08
The $399 is based on a 2 year contract with a provider thought. It's compatible with EE's and O2's intended deployment of LTE.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 10:20
One very expensive phone but I'm pretty sure the Samsung galaxy s3 is better priced, better looking and does a lot more. I rather stick to my iPhone 4 and upgrade the software to io6.
I was a true apple fan from the first iPhone to the iPhone 4 got every single one the they release the 4s which surly wasn't worth the money then waited for the 5 to come out and the phone ain't got anything special to spend that kind of money.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 10:37
What a rip off ... it is $199 for the iPhone 5 in the US
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone
anonymous 13 September, 2012 10:43
Guys its $199 coz you have to buy it with a 2 year contract, so thats not the sim free price...
anonymous 13 September, 2012 10:46
@anonymous 13 September, 2012 10:01
The US price you're quoting is the subsidised price with a contract.
The US price for a 64gb model without a contract is $849 + sales tax. If that were 20% as VAT is in the UK, then the total price would be $1019. Throw in the value of the 2 year statutory warranty you get in the UK compared to the one year you get in the US, and the price difference becomes virtually non-existent.
fleabane 13 September, 2012 10:51
re my earlier post, all of a sudden I feel better about life. The price on the apple site is with contract, without it comes in at a bit over £400, not quite as silly. I also glanced at the charges in the states for data, not so clever.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 11:04
Natasha Lomas, you are so beautiful, you make my heart skip. Your insight into the products you review is outstanding. Beauty and brains, my, you're blessed.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 11:36
And the actual Manufacturing cost is like 5x less!, Rip off, don't forget Apple don't make any of the components of anything they sell themselves, Not the screen, not the processor, not even the camera they like to boast about, and they say they are winning the smartphone battle, they're just taking the best parts (expect processor, as others have quadcore, and camera could have been better) from the other smartphone manufacturers, and give them a small cut of the profits.
The iPhone 5 was the last thing Steve Jobs had a hand in developing, and it is actually pretty disappointing.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 11:37
You people are dumb 199 us dollars plus 24 month contract! Wake up idiots
anonymous 13 September, 2012 12:47
32GB iPhone 5 will cost USD 749 in USA [ref. Apple web site]. The GB price of GBP 599 is equivalent to USD 960.
Well, it is a normal state of affairs. Traditionally, the British have always swallowed higher prices than enywhere else.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 12:51
Can someone post a link to the us sim free prices , I can't find ?
anonymous 13 September, 2012 13:07
Features of the Iphone 5 were already known way before the release, so the secrecy by apple did not work in its favour, also there was no "and another thing.....", showing poor innovation from Apple which is disappointing. The In-ear headphones are out of date, Dr Dre Beats or other similar headphones are now in. Seems without Steve Jobs control, the company is failing.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 13:07
I second the comment that "anonymous 13 September, 2012 11:37" said.
The prices it does in fact look like it is far cheaper on the US site. However, in the US they are not as lucky as us in the UK, they cannot buy from apple SIM FREE. the price you see is in fact with a 24 month contract at around $80-$100 a month!
anonymous 13 September, 2012 13:24
£529!! OMFG that's expensive!!
anonymous 13 September, 2012 13:32
no idea why its soo expensive in UK when in US its seem a more reasonable priced am guessing import tax.....
anonymous 13 September, 2012 13:53
It'll probably only be in the £99 to £149 range on contract in the UK - and with the cheaper contract prices in the uk the total cost of ownership is very likely to be much cheaper in the UK over the two year period.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 14:33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXr1kmuqGcU
crying!!!!!!!!! buy it you mugs!!!!
anonymous 13 September, 2012 14:34
£699 64gb on O2 hahahahhahahahahahah NOOOOOO!
anonymous 13 September, 2012 14:47
At the end of the day the UK customer is being taken for a ride as usual. You get approximately 1.5 dollars or more to the pound and if you go to a state such as Delaware you Won't Pay Any Sales Tax either, that's why companies such as amazon locate in tax free zones in the states. So as I repeated before if your that desperate for a iphone get someone to buy you one in the states and bring it home for you. And if you can't wait a few months get a re-conditioned one for an apple store in the US and save even more ££££
But really why? It's a good phone, but not at that price.
Further you will paying for a phone that may or may not work on all UK 4G networks, that are yet to be announced so you will paying more than a US customer for less functionality how can that be fair?
And as for states that do charge, it varies between 5% - 15% only NOT 20% like the UK.
And do you really think it costs loads more money for memory i.e. like for 64GB your wrong it costs a few pounds extra not hundreds. One reason apple likes a closed infrastructure is that the customer can't simple save themselves a load of money and buy a memory card, so again the customer gets ripped off if they want a large capacity than the basic offering.
Wake up and demand more from apple to keep you loyal, not less....
And yes you can normally buy Sim Free in the USA, but not every ones got the cash to stump up. And most americans buy things on finance....so it's not so popular over there in comparison to a monthly cell phone contract.....
anonymous 13 September, 2012 15:04
Apple are great BUT overpricing may cost them ultimately, its just £100.00 TOO MUCH!
anonymous 13 September, 2012 17:18
Th real rip off is taht you can't use it in existing docking statons. Ther goes my £500 Bose then .... NOT
anonymous 13 September, 2012 17:40
The reason its so expensive is because people will pay it especially as a lot of folks will be upgrading from a standard iPhone 4 rather than a 4S. The prices shown in the US are usually part of a two year contract so we probably get a better deal in the UK (when its on contract). I've previously had every version of the iPhone from when it first came out however I'm going to wait until I get a free upgrade. Def not paying £529 even if I can sell the 4S for around £329.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 18:55
It just goes to show how stupid these Android fanboys are - £529 is the sim free price in the uk, while $399 is the price in the USA on a 2 year contract.
Camoxide 13 September, 2012 19:09
Everone who's saying it's only $199 in the US is sadly mistaken.
That's $199 WITH a contract. It's about $650 without a contract.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 20:27
All you people saying how much cheaper it is in the US that prices your quote are to buy it on contract not pay as you go, also the iPhone 5 isn't 4G compatible for other countries, in other words if you buy one in the US and bring it back to the UK the 4G won't actually work because of the way it's set up.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 20:30
Oh yes I'm buying one. Kept my old I phone 3 in anticipation ! Have even contemplated flying to New York to get one, it may work put cheaper that a contract with some of the u.k networks!!'
anonymous 13 September, 2012 20:32
Hy this iz zayed nd m tellng about iphone, iphone iz iphone bcoz m usng, right now 4s it iz the better all cell phone god will i will buy iphone 5 , S 3 is also gd bt i thnk do not compare with iphone bcoz it iz...........?
anonymous 13 September, 2012 21:08
Hey, what's the implication of buying in U .S of A and bringing back i 5 to UK? If I pay sales tax and claim that back at U.S border will I then have to pay U.K taxes? Or if I just throw away the box and put said phone in my pocket can I just walk through customs?
anonymous 13 September, 2012 22:15
I think the best thing here is just not buy the iphone 5, actions always speak louder
than words, and only then will Apple inc Listen. ripoff pricks
anonymous 13 September, 2012 22:25
will they not be available sim free in the usa ?
anonymous 14 September, 2012 08:20
Why does the iPhones cost more in the Uk then it does in the USA ? Our £ is worth more towards the $ . If its $ 199.00 we should be paying around a £125.00 why are they ripping us off and making us pay double the price !!
dorix 14 September, 2012 09:10
Apple are very shrewd business people.It makes me laugh that they have the audacity to fit their i phones with internal memories so that noboby can expand via micro sd cards. I do feel sorry for anybody that is taken in by all their hype each year and even wait outside a shop for it to open and just to say'Iv'e got a new i phone'
George Harris 14 September, 2012 10:53
Prices on orange:
http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/iphone/
George Harris 14 September, 2012 10:59
T-Mobile prices:
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/iphone/
anonymous 14 September, 2012 11:35
it looks as the same crap as the s4... iphones have always been 3 to 4 years behind.. waste of money for a phone thats the same as all there iphones.... i dont wont to start saying how meny things you cant do with a iphone dont waste your time unless you one of them brain washed iphone heads go for it
anonymous 14 September, 2012 11:54
can't you just buy one from US will it work the same ...becouse you will save so much money you can buy 2 iphones ..THE APPLE IS ROTTEN
COLDFUSION 14 September, 2012 15:00
An Apple fan walks into a bar.... Orders the same drink as yesterday, but pays more, then shows the drink to everyone in the bar.
anonymous 14 September, 2012 15:01
They're havin' a laugh.
anonymous 14 September, 2012 17:02
Rip off, I need a new phone and considered a iPhone but looking at the prices I would rather buy something else.
anonymous 14 September, 2012 17:17
ITS SIMPLE YOU GET A IPHONE YOU PAY THOURGH THE NOSE. GREAT PHONE BUT APPLE MARKETING THEY MAKE AS MUCH OUT OF YOU AS POSS MEMORY 32G PHONE MORE COST AND EVEN MICRO SIMS COST MORE IVE A 3GS AND WONT BE UPGRADING TO THE LATEST.
anonymous 17 September, 2012 02:30
"it looks as the same crap as the s4... iphones have always been 3 to 4 years behind.."
Hilarious. Four years ago Android phones looked like Blackberries. 5 years ago Apple invented the modern smartphone.
anonymous 20 September, 2012 03:37
Apple I'm out of the apple game I have had the 3GS then the 4 then upgraded to the 4s and added 12 months to my contract for a phone with the slightest of updates I won't be making the same mistake this year.
An extra Row of icons hmmmmmmm no thank you Apple ill enjoy IOS6 for what it's worth
anonymous 23 September, 2012 21:12
i phone 5 is a bad phone.........iam working with orange....rather i would say samsung galaxy got more feautures,good touch and also bigger screen and standards.........uk people are just bull shitt.......and yeah its cheaper in usa......uk people are dump.......
anonymous 27 September, 2012 23:36
People read small print. IP5 is more expensive in usa than uk. they must take contract for 2 years and pay price for phone. All together is for example 199$ cost of 16gb phone, plus tariff plan plus internet gives you around 80-100$ or more dollars a month. If you know the maths it is easy calculation over 2 years. Any way if you can afford it buy it. Money are here to spend them and not only to save them. you never know what is behind the corner. Life is short....................
anonymous 28 September, 2012 09:36
If I buy I phone 5 from the states will it stil have the same guarantee as if I bought it from Britain
anonymous 2 October, 2012 22:34
I often go to the us for work and have bought i pod touch and several i pads for family and friends all at a much cheaper price than the uk (around £75 - £65 saving per i pad depending on the local tax charged in that state and the exchange rate at the time) I visited the apple store when in Dallas last week and was told that at the moment there are ALL on contract deals at the moment (the salesman said they probably will introduce sim free in the coming months after the stampeed of must have buyers:-) Also I was told that the phone would not work to as good a standard in the UK as they have different provider settings?? UK i phones are set up for our mobile airways and US for theirs which are dirrerent? I can only relay what I have been told in the apple US store and I hope the information helps
anonymous 8 October, 2012 00:09
iPhone 5 can be got for £200 - £300 on a £25-£30/month contract... uk118.biz/iphone
Or you might wanna try the HTC One X, I've got one and it's the nuts!
anonymous 8 December, 2012 14:17
Only yesterday i got my hands on the iPhone 4 for £80 good condition off a friend. I use android but couldn't resist such a great deal, i couldn't pay full price though, not even with price slash.
anonymous 15 December, 2012 10:47
plz tel me the rael prise iphon5 .new and use plzz
anonymous 3 January, 2013 11:57
man i wanna get a new phone but these are just rip off the only good price is on ebay and i hate ebay but these people jus want money cant u see(im from uk)