Assuming that 9/12 is the announce date, what date/time will we be able to pre-order the new iPhone? Based on past history of course.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone Pre-Order Date
- Thread starter longhorns172006
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
If you go by the 4S last year, then pre-orders opened up 3 days after the announcement at 12:01 AM Pacific Time (3:01 Eastern Time.) There has been a rumor or 2 going around that they'll open them up on the same day of the announcement, but thats all rumors as of right now. It'll be kind of hard to judge though. The iPhone 4 pre-orders opened up 7-8 days after the announcement.
Well if Apple intends on releasing it on 9/21 and announcing on 9/12 pre-orders would need to start by 9/15 to get things rolling along to insure sufficient stock per carrier warehouse and store locations. You have to account for carrier transit time to retail locations which is 2-3 days.
Yea, a week before the launch is normal... usually the Friday before the Friday release of the phone for pre-order is what I remember
Are pre-orders shipped to your residence or do they go to your local wireless store to be picked up there?
Pre-orders through Apple are either shipped to your residence or picked up at an Apple Store... Not sure about carrier pre-orders...
Best Buy Mobile pre-orders done in store are picked up in store
No apple stores within 200 miles of me so I guess it'll have to come to my house. Can you request it to be held at the shipping carrier for pick-up? It seems like phones always have to be signed for and are always delivered during business hours when I'm, well, at my business doing work. 
No apple stores within 200 miles of me so I guess it'll have to come to my house. Can you request it to be held at the shipping carrier for pick-up? It seems like phones always have to be signed for and are always delivered during business hours when I'm, well, at my business doing work.
When the products ship you can go to the account order information page on the Apple site to print and fill out a FedEx release form. They will then leave it at the door. I've done this in the past. Most recently, with the new iPad, I just put a note on the release that they could bring it to my business address if they preferred a live signature. I work about 3000 feet from and on the same route as my home address and they just brought it there.
As far as I know, they won't allow you to pick up at the FedEx depot until one missed delivery attempt has occurred.
Awesome thanks for all the info. This is my first pre-order so one more question. What has been the average time it take to start being a delay in the shipping, back orders I guess is what you would call it. I am going to be staying up for sure on the night pre-orders go live, I was just wondering how on the ball I need to be as far as refreshing Apple.com.
Be prepared for very slow computer load times, system errors, and numerous attempts at securing a pre order. If you have an old iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, I recommend installing the Apple Store App, I've heard it's the most efficient way to secure a pre order.
If I had to guess, ship time will increase before the day ends.
If this keynote goes like the past iPad 3 keynote, we might just be able to pre-order that day, provided the apple website is up.
I agree with the previous posters, trying to secure a pre-order is frustrating. I've only done it once, but at first the apple website was down. Then it went up, then down again. I was on my droid/work computer simutaneously and it was not easy. I gave up. Went home (30 min drive) tried on my laptop and finally, got my iPad 3.
I plan on doing the same for the new iPhone!
I agree with the previous posters, trying to secure a pre-order is frustrating. I've only done it once, but at first the apple website was down. Then it went up, then down again. I was on my droid/work computer simutaneously and it was not easy. I gave up. Went home (30 min drive) tried on my laptop and finally, got my iPad 3.
I plan on doing the same for the new iPhone!
If this keynote goes like the past iPad 3 keynote, we might just be able to pre-order that day, provided the apple website is up.
I agree with the previous posters, trying to secure a pre-order is frustrating. I've only done it once, but at first the apple website was down. Then it went up, then down again. I was on my droid/work computer simutaneously and it was not easy. I gave up. Went home (30 min drive) tried on my laptop and finally, got my iPad 3.
I plan on doing the same for the new iPhone!
Not looking forward to the headache, but it must be done
No kidding huh? Its a PITA, but I rather pre-order, than sit/stand in the mall for 8+ hours in line waiting. Then once you get in the store, you probably end up getting groped because the store is beyond packed. I would just rather stay home, and become obsessed with that damn fed ex/UPS tracking website. Ahhh its going to be March 2012 all over again.
No kidding huh? Its a PITA, but I rather pre-order, than sit/stand in the mall for 8+ hours in line waiting. Then once you get in the store, you probably end up getting groped because the store is beyond packed. I would just rather stay home, and become obsessed with that damn fed ex/UPS tracking website. Ahhh its going to be March 2012 all over again.
Yup... That is exactly how I will be...
There have been numerous rumors from credible sources that pre-ordering will go live on 9/12, much like the new iPad, so hopefully it'll be that day and not waiting until some God-forsaken hour of the night.
And one technically can use the Apple Store app on the iPad, but it is an iPhone app, so it looks like zoomed-in-DOOKIE-pie on an iPad. If it gets me an iPhone on day 1 though, I'll be a happy camper.
Allright I will just do the app on my iPad 3. I had the iPhone 4 and sold it a couple of weeks ago in anticipation for new iPhone and right now I'm rocking the 3G. Amazing how this phone was top of the line and now I am very much missing my 4 lol. Thanks for all of the replies everyone!
The 3GS pre order was easy. The 4 pre order was a nightmare. Took me about 6 hours of trying. I didn't get a 4S, so can't comment on that one. Starting to think setting an alarm for 3-4am might be the way to go. Especially since I want to get at least 2 (one for me, 1 for the wife) if not 4 or 5 (my parents and her mom.)
There have been numerous rumors from credible sources that pre-ordering will go live on 9/12, much like the new iPad, so hopefully it'll be that day and not waiting until some God-forsaken hour of the night.
If this is the case, Im leaving work at 2:30 that day (provided the keynote is on 9/12) and just sitting at home, working 2 iPads to get my iPhone. This droids gotta go!!!
Then the waiting begins. I am so not a patient person. My new mantra will be "Good things comes to those who wait..."
If this is the case, Im leaving work at 2:30 that day (provided the keynote is on 9/12) and just sitting at home, working 2 iPads to get my iPhone. This droids gotta go!!!
Then the waiting begins. I am so not a patient person. My new mantra will be "Good things comes to those who wait..."
There have been numerous rumors from credible sources that pre-ordering will go live on 9/12, much like the new iPad, so hopefully it'll be that day and not waiting until some God-forsaken hour of the night.
If this is the case, Im leaving work at 2:30 that day (provided the keynote is on 9/12) and just sitting at home, working 2 iPads to get my iPhone. This droids gotta go!!!
Then the waiting begins. I am so not a patient person. My new mantra will be "Good things comes to those who wait..."
Is it bad that I cleared my day on the 12th and took the 21st off.... =/
I wonder how bad the web traffic is on the at&t website compared to the apple website? Probably pretty slow but I'd imagine not as bad as the apple website
Its bad on both sites.
Last time it kept freezing and page cannot be displayed errors all the time at the AT&T site.