re: #2 Skip Intro

By restricting preorders, Apple led more people to line up to buy iPhone 5s than the last two models. Rumors about supply shortages fed the demand beast and interest in being one of the lucky few — another incentive to line up outside stores.

betanews.com

Not to mention all of the white/goldtone 5s buyers who immediately put their new phones up for sale on Ebay at 100%+ markups.

Yet another reason to keep my Android.

This deliberate manipulation in order to fuel a frenzy is just so freaking lame. But it works for the Apple execs and the resellers, who else benefits?