Looking for a gold iPhone 5s? This tool is your treasure map
Finding the coveted gold iPhone 5s just got a little easier.
Since the shiny Apple gadget went on sale last month, the golden iPhone 5s has been in short supply, due to its popularity and supply constraints. Many stores sold out of the phone as soon as it was released and there is a long wait if the device was ordered online.
But software developer Mordy Tikotzky has built a simple-to-use website that quickly tells shoppers how many gold iPhone 5s devices are available at Apple Stores near them.
PHOTOS: Top 11 hidden, cool features in Apple’s iOS 7
On the website, users type in their ZIP code and select the kind of iPhone 5s they are looking for -- they can choose the color and the carrier (users looking for T-Mobile should select the “unlocked” option).
Once users hit submit, the tool will pull up all stores nearby and show a grid displaying which stores have iPhone 5s units. If a store has the desired iPhone 5s in stock, the tool will mark the store with a check mark in a column that indicates how much storage the available devices have -- either 16 gigabytes, 32 GB or 64 GB.
Through his tweets, Tikotzky has said the tool crawls Apple’s website for information on supplies at U.S. Apple Stores. The developer said he believes the stores are getting fresh supplies of devices “on the hour” and remove the gadgets from their inventory as they are sold.
Indeed, a check earlier Wednesday morning indicated that there were gold iPhone 5s versions at stores in Cerritos and Glendale. Just half an hour later, they were no longer available.
So if you’re still trying to find a gold iPhone 5s, check out Tikotzky’s website often.
And when you do find one, be sure to order online from the Apple Store and select in-store pickup because by the time you drive there, it’ll probably be gone.
ALSO:
Slow-motion video: The best reason to get an iPhone 5s
Silicon Valley wonders who is behind mystery NSA billboard
Review roundup: Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch not worth buying yet