Time to Upgrade: New iPhone 5

Thursday morning I woke up to the Internet abuzz about the iPhone 5.  Living abroad means getting all my news about 12 hours after everyone back home hears it, so there was plenty of chatter online about all the specs coming with the latest iteration of the iPhone.

I was eager to see what was different after months of speculation and rumors, so I hopped onto Apple's website to check out the keynote.  Many people have said that the new iPhone doesn't impress, but I do like the new features and improvements that Apple has added.  I currently have the same iPhone 4 that I got 2 years ago when it came out, and the 5 has a lot of bells and whistles that aren't available on my phone.  This month marks the end of my 2-year-contract with KT, so now my phone is completely paid off and is officially mine!  Some of my friends here have the 4S, which I envied with its faster operating speed and Siri Assistant.  But I waited, knowing that I wouldn't be able to upgrade my phone in the middle of my contract here without paying a ton of money.

I won't be getting the iPhone 5 here in Korea when it arrives, however.  (That is, when it arrives.  Currently Apple and Samsung have been fighting in court over patents and accusing each other of copying ideas, so it is uncertain if the new iPhone will be welcomed in Korea.)  Getting the iPhone 5 here would entail having to sign another 2-year-contract with KT, and I will only be here for 6 more months.

Instead, I'll keep my 4 until I get home in March, then go back to my family plan with AT&T and get an iPhone 5 there.  My mom has expressed some interest in joining the smartphone brigade, so we'll see if she is comfortable with an iPhone.

An added bonus to getting a phone back home:  all my US-specific apps will work again!

**From what I've been reading online, there is no exact date for an iPhone 5 release in Korea, but speculation is that it might come to Korea in late October, a month after the initial release in the US.  Stay tuned!**