Finding the best iPhone 5 case is the next quest for iPhone 5 owners who may want to set themselves apart from millions of others.

The unprecedented release of the iPhone with no cases available at the Apple stores

Unleashed on Friday, Apple’s iPhone 5 finally reached the hands of customers across the globe, creating long lines in front of Apple stores. In the U.S., Sprint has announced that “the majority of Sprint-branded retail stores are seriously constrained or sold out of iPhone 5 inventory provided to us by Apple” on the very day of its release.

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The new iPhone, which sports a thinner and longer body and a smaller dock connector, is leading accessory manufacturers to come up with completely refreshed designs.

"This is departure from the standard Apple launch that includes some kind of Apple case and a few third party cases, but it is the first real re-design of the iPhone in two years," said GottaBeMobile.

"Many manufacturers waited to see the iPhone 5 and download the exact measurements before starting design and production of iPhone 5 case."

According to comScore, the online pre-order of the iPhone 5 in the first three days has reached 96 per cent of the online sales of the iPhone 4S in the first month since its release.

Having broken record with over 2 million orders made in the first 24 hours, the iPhone 5 is seen as the biggest electronics debut in history.

The evidently massive demand is fueling competitions among the iPhone 5 cases.

Major brands including Otter Box, Incase, Belkin, Element and Case-Mate have created a variety of stylish and functional iPhone 5 cases, many of them ready or preparing to be shipped.

Incase CEO told Wired regarding the process of creating the iPhone 5 cases.

“There is a misconception that we get some information early,” Dave Gatto said.

“We wait until devices are in the store. It’s not so black and white in that we don’t do anything till then.”

“We do a lot of scenario planning. A lot of work and ideation right up until that point that the keynote happens,” Gatto told Wired.

“Then we get more info through that process, which is all public. Between the keynote and the device being in the store, there’s a lot of focusing in on part scenarios.”

Incase lists 4 types of its signature Slider Case and one type of sports armband, to be shipped early October.

Case-Mate unveiled its colorful lineup of iPhone 5 cases, as well as pop animal designs that differentiate the company from others.

"At Case-Mate, we have a diverse team of engineers and fashion designers that work with artists and companies around the world to design products that are as unique and stylish as they are innovative and protective," Case-Mate's CEO and Founder Shashi Reddy said.
"The products we've designed for the iPhone 5 are without a doubt the most fashionable and protective cases we have ever released."

The company has started shipping its iPhone 5 covers on Sept. 21.

OtterBox debuted its Defender Series, Commuter Series, Reflex Series, and Prefix Series.
With two to three layers of protections, Otterbox cases protect your iPhone 5 from water, shock and dust.
Defender Series case for iPhone 5, "is the only case for demanding conditions, heavy use and random accidents," the company stated.

Belkin has a listing of 13 colorful and stylish cases, including sports armbands that let users wear their iPhones on their arms during workout. The iPhone 5 cases ranging from $20 to $30 are listed as “coming soon.”

Incipio offers a number of simple and slick design, offering unbeatable protection and durability. The series are named uniquely – FREQUENCY, DualPro, Faxion, Stashback, KICKSNAP etc. - and come in a diverse range of colors.

Element Case is working on its Sector case for the iPhone 5.
“Today we launched the ALL NEW case for iPhone that’s going to rock the iPhone world. It’s called the ‘Sector,’” Element Case announced on its blog on Sept. 11.
“As expected, the Sector case will change the way you think of premium iPhone protection and style. Sign up below to get on the Sector iPhone case notification list and to reserve your Sector for iPhone 5.”
The “most extreme case” as the company calls costs $146.95.

One more cool and functional iPhone case is “Keeper,” a $34.99 piece that serves as a wallet, featuring a leather holder for credit cards and an ID window.

Coming with even better functions, Cygnett, an Australian company, created FlipWallet, a tri-fold iPhone 5 case that can store even your cash.

Here are some more lineup of iPhone 5 cases:
iPhone 5 Cases Fashion Face-Off: Best and Craziest iPhone 5 Cases [SLIDESHOW]

iPhone 5 Case That Costs $100,000: World’s Most Fashionable (and Expensive) iPhone 5 Case [PHOTO]