Apple will release the iPhone 5 into Samsung's backyard this friday, unveiling the new smartphone in South Korea, as well as 50 other countries.

Releasing across the world throughout December, the move means Apple will be three nations short from selling their product in a hundred locations globally, adding to the original 47 countries already selling the device.

Countries set to receive the iPhone in under two weeks will be Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Ecuador, Grenada, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kuwait, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldova, Montenegro, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.

While the smartphone will go on sale on December 21 in Barbados, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Egypt, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St.Vincent & the Grenadines, Tunisia, Uganda and Vietnam.

The unveilings come over two months since New Zealanders finally got their hands on the new iPhone 5, with fans queuing across the country for the midnight launch.

Apple posted sales of five million during just three days of trading after the launch, with interest exceeding the initial supply meaning pre-order delays for customers.

Designed to be the thinnest and lightest Apple device ever, the company released pricing for the device which is available in either white & silver or black & slate and on offer to Kiwis for a recommended retail price of NZD$1049 inc. GST for the 16GB model, NZD$1199 inc. GST for the 32GB model and NZD$1349 inc. GST for the 64GB model.

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