How to get iPhone 5S on first day?

Just order online the second Apple make them available. Alternatively you could camp outside your nearest Apple Store for days just to get one of that store's limited stock. Buy online from the comfort of your house and wait for it to arrive, guaranteed. That's what I'll be doing. Camping outside an Apple Store is more of a ritual for some people, rather than just getting the latest iPhone.

Most malls seem to allow queuing, though best way to is to order it online.

Preorder.
It'll be sent right to your house.

In 2010, my daughter tried to pre-order, but couldn't get online because the site was so busy.

So...we arrived at the mall about 6:30 AM and the line was already forming outside. At some point they left us inside, and had us form two lines, one for pre-orders, and one for "I hope I'm lucky enough to get one today", which is the line we were in. We waited 10 hours to get the phone. We were one of the last customers to buy a phone that wasn't pre-ordered. Our line moved about 6 feet per hour. The other line moved about 100 times faster.

Although it was a memorable experience, I will never wait in line again...unless I am lucky enough to pre-order.

Preordered my iPhone 4 and went and stood in line. I was the 7th person to get one. Got there about 5:30 as I recall.

Preordered my iPhone 5 and had it delivered on launch day. Unfortunately I had to be out of town so my wife signed for it.

Either option will work, although of course with a carrier there is always going to be some that don't get it on the day.

Just preorder when they become available which will usually be 12:00am pacific time on whatever day. For me on the east coast, I set my alarm for 2:45am and i'm all ready to go by 3am when the site opens. It's a rush waiting for the store to go active. Refresh after refresh of the "be back soon" window drives me insane. And then u finally get though, wait for a conf #, and go back to bed.

I camped out for the original iPhone, 3G, & 4. The 4S & 5 I preordered. And although I loved camping out, preorder is much easier experience. I never had any issues and had every phone on launch day (except 3GS which I didn't get on launch).

I can't wait until preorder day for 5S.

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SJism23 said:

You and a few others mentioned preordering and picking up the phone in store. Was there a limited quantity for preorders? What was the point of a line-up for preorder customers? I thought those would be guaranteed. (Sorry I don't know much about this process.)

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They don't offer pick up in store any more. But yes, you were guaranteed a phone if u preordered. Pick up in store was an option for people who obsessed over the ups driver losing their phone. Lol.

SJism23 said:

You and a few others mentioned preordering and picking up the phone in store. Was there a limited quantity for preorders? What was the point of a line-up for preorder customers? I thought those would be guaranteed. (Sorry I don't know much about this process.)

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Well for me I lined up for two reasons. It was my first smart phone so I was excited. And I also had an important meeting at 9:30 so I had to be done by then.
You always hear story's of the phones running out. Who knows if its true.

It's always easiest to just preorder when they go online. I'm going to preorder two 5S's using two upgrades: one to keep and one to sell.

I wouldn't worry too much. Just show up at a store the day it goes on sale. If it is like the first day of sale of the 5, there will be plenty available. The days of long lines and limited supplies are long over.

SJism23 said:

Really? I swear I heard of shortages . . . I also recall online shipping being backed up to 3–4 weeks.

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I saw no shortages. People were going into stores and buying them throughout the day. In fact, many people were posting just that the day it came out. Plus the 5S will not be as much in demand as the 5. Just like the 4S after the 4. I ordered mine online the day AFTER it went on sale, (not the preorder day) and got it 3 days later.

You really need to relax. Preorder and you will get it soon enough.

Getting the 5S will not be difficult.

you can also try going to your carrier's store and waiting in line there, most people tend to overlook this option

SJism23 said:

I've never bought an Apple product on launch day but for my first iPhone this fall (5S) I intend on doing so. Does anyone have any experience on how this works? I know that with the 5 there was a reservation system. Did only people who reserved their iPhone line up at Apple stores? Or can you receive the iPhone through preordering on launch day? Also: do malls with Apple Stores allow people to line up inside early in the morning?

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This is my knowledge on the subject, you can preorder and pick it up in stores on the first day, but also people just line up to buy it there, first come, first served.

I ordered the iPad 3 on launch day, took about a week or two to get there. (the most anxious Ive been in my life). It was easier, but the wait was painful. If you preorder it online, do make sure its right after midnight that preorders start. The quicker you get your order in, the faster it will get to you. As more people order, the wait times mover to 3 to 4+ weeks.

Alternatively, I live in New Orleans, where the only official Apple store is at the Lakeside Mall. I got my iPad mini around noon on launch day, to my suprise they still had 32GB minis available. Guess the population here is small enough to where there arent those crazy maniacs waiting days in line, or the fan base for iProducts is small here. But I asked "how bad was the line in the morning" they said not bad at all, no more than 20 or so people they said. They say its worse for iPhones because third party retailer individuals wait in line and buy the (i think) non-ATT iphones, or maybe just the ATT iphones, because one or the other didnt have a limit on how many they could purchase. But as long as the mall is open, people can start lining up outside the store.

sonicrobby said:

I ordered the iPad 3 on launch day, took about a week or two to get there. (the most anxious Ive been in my life).

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The most anxious you have ever been? You must have had a very sheltered life!
I remember waiting for my new iMac which I ordered at launch. Seemed to take forever to get here!

Apple fanboy said:

The most anxious you have ever been? You must have had a very sheltered life!
I remember waiting for my new iMac which I ordered at launch. Seemed to take forever to get here!

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Its a pretty uneventful life. But I do lie, the most anxious Ive been is for my rMBP to come in. The iPad is second to that though

sonicrobby said:

Its a pretty uneventful life. But I do lie, the most anxious Ive been is for my rMBP to come in. The iPad is second to that though

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My wife giving birth to my daughter made me pretty anxious. Compared to that it's just stuff you buy. If it doesn't turn up or arrives broken, you can sort it.

That said it is nice when you have been waiting a longtime and it finally arrives. It's like when you were a kid and it was Christmas.

Jamesesesesess said:

It's always easiest to just preorder when they go online. I'm going to preorder two 5S's using two upgrades: one to keep and one to sell.

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Keep one upgrade for the 6. That's what I do. I pay for 2 lines that were purchased a year apart. So every year an upgrade is available to me. Ill preorder the 5S for $299, sell my 5 for $350+ and walk away happy. And when the 6 comes out, I'll do it all over again.

darster said:

I saw no shortages. People were going into stores and buying them throughout the day. In fact, many people were posting just that the day it came out. Plus the 5S will not be as much in demand as the 5. Just like the 4S after the 4. I ordered mine online the day AFTER it went on sale, (not the preorder day) and got it 3 days later.

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I would disagree. 4S still sold more then the 4, and then the 5 more then the 4S after that. All iPhones will be in high demand, S or non-S.

sulpfiction said:

Keep one upgrade for the 6. That's what I do. I pay for 2 lines that were purchased a year apart. So every year an upgrade is available to me. Ill preorder the 5S for $299, sell my 5 for $350+ and walk away happy. And when the 6 comes out, I'll do it all over again.

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Or he can upgrade both and keep one, selling the other above retail.

He'll make enough to buy the next iPhone outright and still profit.

I walked into a Best Buy Mobile the day after the 4s was released and purchased one (in the late afternoon). No pre-order or anything. Pre-ordered the iPhone 5 through Sprint and got it delivered on release day. Just pre-order, no having to worry about when/if you're going to get one. I managed to sell my 32gb 4s to Gamestop for a few bucks shy of $300, which basically covered the cost of my 32gb 5. Unless there's anything major on the 5s, i'm planning on sticking with the 5 until the next iteration. iOS 7 will make it a "new phone", so i'm good with that.

Order online then use macrumors to pass the time. Lots of people tracking airplanes, posting shipping info, and freaking out about service. Its amazing and entertaining.

So what's the fixation about launch day?

So OK sum ppl want to join the camping crowd for the comradery, they love the geniuses clapping them on the way out waving ur new toy for the 6 pm news. Otherwise why?

Pre-pay does not guarantee launch day delivery.