The release of the iPhone 5 in South Africa was a highly anticipated event which culminated in its release on 14 December 2012.

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone, released in 2010, is a mid-range model in the Bold range. The BlackBerry Bold 9650 has an optical trackpad for the first time in the Bold range.

The BlackBerry Bold 9790 smartphone, released in 2011, is a high end model in the Bold range. The BlackBerry Bold 9790 combines a capacitive touch screen with an optical trackpad for navigation, including the familiar QWERTY keyboard.

The BlackBerry Bold 9000 smartphone, released in 2008 and once the flagship model, is an entry-level model in the Bold range. The BlackBerry Bold 9000 has an optical trackball for the last time in the Bold range.

The BlackBerry Bold 9780 smartphone, released in 2010, is a high end model in the Bold range. The BlackBerry Bold 9780 has an optical trackpad for navigation and the familiar QWERTY keyboard.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone, released in 2011, is a high end model in the Bold range. While this model has a capacitive touch screen, it still also has the familiar QWERTY keyboard, unlike the BlackBerry Curve 9380

The BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone, released in 2009, was the second model series of the BlackBerry Curve released after the 8300, 8310, and the 8320. While it is a basic BlackBerry model, it is good as an entry-level smartphone.

The BlackBerry Curve 9380 smartphone, released in 2011, is a high end model in the Curve range. For the first time in this range, the BlackBerry Curve 9380 operates through a touch-screen, without the familiar physical QWERTY keyboard (it is still available on-screen.)

The BlackBerry Curve 9220 smartphone, released in 2012, is a mid-range model. Compared to its siblings, the Curve 9320 and 9360, released in 2012 and 2011 respectively, the BlackBerry Curve 9220 lacks the 3.2MP and 5MP camera and flash of the other two models, but has most of the other features, apart from NFC, but this shouldn’t be a train smash for a couple of years still (the iPhone 5, due to be released in South Africa by December 2012, also does not have NFC).

The BlackBerry Curve 8980 smartphone, released in 2011, is the last in the 8-series BlackBerry range. Apart from a 3.2MP camera with flash, the specifications are very similar to the BlackBerry Curve 9300, which has a 2MP camera without flash and was released in 2010.