The rarest of the rare: Apple’s iPhone 5s 64GB Gold

“Long lines awaited the launch of the iPhone 5S in NYC but many customers soon found out the stores had shortages of the gold version,” Shara Tibken reports for CNET. “The first people in line at Apple’s flagship store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue waited 15 days for the 64GB gold iPhone 5S only to find out the store had no supply of that device available.”

“Ceballo, who planned to buy the 64GB version of the iPhone 5S in gold, said he’ll settle for the gray version,” Tibken reports. “Many other people toward the front of the line expressed frustration with the lack of the gold iPhone. The 5S launch marks the first time Apple has offered its flagship phone in that color, and customers haven’t been able to preorder the device. To get the iPhone 5S on launch day, they have to stand in line. However, the gold color was rumored to be in short supply ahead of the launch, something confirmed by the lack of the device at one of Apple’s biggest stores in the country.”

Tibken reports, “Many outlets have reported that iPhone 5S supplies are constrained, and carriers are also reportedly facing supply issues. Even online, initial supplies of all three configurations of the gold iPhone 5S sold out within a half-hour. Apple promised a ship date in October, whereas with white and gray iPhone 5S models, ship dates slipped to 7 to 10 days only after hours on sale.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: In our checks, iPhone 5s 64GB Gold began with a long shipping time, with delivery promised within 7-10 days from the very start of sales.

Did anyone nab an iPhone 5s 64GB Gold that “ships immediately” from Apple, a carrier, or other retailer?