I'am travelling to NYC in June to buy iPhone - bad timing?

[thorbenh]

Hey anybody,

I am thinking to go to NYC for one week End of May for holiday AND hopefully to buy 2 iPhones. I heard several times, that german tourists bought them with their german VISA card for 299USD as there is a promotion at ATT or Apple-Store. Whatever.

I really would like to buy one - the current one or the new one (which would be cool). The thing is, I can go there at the beginning of July latest. The earlier the better.

How big is the chance to get ANY iPhone in June or is the current one sold out?
How bis is the chance to buy them with german visa card?`
How bis is the chance th get the possible NEW one already at the end of june?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR REPLY!!

 

[yoavcs]

I'd wait till end of June at the least.

The current model is pretty much sold out and you'll have a very hard time getting one, especially in NY.

My gut feeling is that the new iPhone gets announced June 9th to hit shelves by the end of the month, so your best bet would be to go start of July.

As for the credit card, you'll need an international one with 16 digits. I bought an iPhone in March in the 5th Ave Apple Store using my Israel issued international Visa.

Edit: Thinking about it, there were many Germans buying the iPhone standing in line with me back in March. I think this explains the low sales of official phones in Germany: you guys are buying unlocked ones.

 

[JNB]

How big is the chance to get ANY iPhone in June or is the current one sold out?
How bis is the chance to buy them with german visa card?`
How bis is the chance th get the possible NEW one already at the end of june?

Actual stock quantities vary. Some Stores (Apple & AT&T) have them, others don't. You'd have to call ahead.

If the card has the VISA logo, it doesn't matter who or where the issuing bank is.

Nobody can say for certain if there will be a new phone at all next month, and if there is, when it will actually be available and in stores, not to mention stock levels the day you show up. It's really a crapshoot.

 

[thorbenh]

Hmm, I think the apple guys will unlikely put 2 iPhones under their desk until I show up. So the probabilty to get one in the next 2 weeks is too slow to justify the effort (even the NYC trip is more holiday than just for shopping).

I better book a flight for july and hope for a brand new "iPhone Reloaded". In my opinion, Apple won´t let iPhone be "not available" for more than one month. So I would suggest it will be on stock withon 1-2 weeks after WWDC. Let´s see what happens...

By the way. I just realized I do not have a VISA, but a Mastercard (16 digits) an AMEX (15 digits) but I can get one within 1 week or two.

Thank you for your repplies!!!

 

[Macky-Mac]

.....
By the way. I just realized I do not have a VISA, but a Mastercard (16 digits) an AMEX (15 digits) but I can get one within 1 week or two.

Thank you for your repplies!!!

you shouldn't have any problem with either your Mastercard or AMEX......as long as you don't try to spend more than the limit they allow you!

There seems to be plenty of Germans buying at the Apple stores here in Los Angeles too. Just last week I saw a group of them buying a bunch of ipods.

 

[JNB]

By the way. I just realized I do not have a VISA, but a Mastercard (16 digits) an AMEX (15 digits) but I can get one within 1 week or two.

Both are common. The number of digits on the card is not an issue, as that's an international standard (overseen by the International Standards Organization, which is why we call them ISO numbers...). That's also why the big ones can be used nearly anywhere, because the banks all agreed to play nice.

AmEx is always the oddball, but they can afford to be. The first six digits identify the issuer, and the last ten (or nine, AmEx again!) identify the cardholder. Major issuers will own the first one to four digits, typically.