iPhone 5S on Sale to Long Lines

Gold phone already unavailable until October. Welcome to America.

Want a silver or "space gray" iPhone 5S? Order it now and you'll get it in 7 to 10 days, says Apple. Want a gold one? You'll have to wait until October.

The new $199 flagship wasn't available for pre-order, so a week of pent-up demand seems to be unleashing itself on Apple and its wireless carrier and retail partners.

If you're hoping to score a new iPhone today, you had best start by calling — or better yet, visiting — an Apple store. That's where the concentrations of the new models will be highest. The lines will be long, but experience suggests that the wait will be worth it.