iPhone 4s Walk-in 10/14

[jkim3691]

Hey all, I've been creeping a lot on these forums for a long time but never registered. I see a lot of people pre-ordered (obviously), but this is a thread for those who didn't and are going to walk in a store on Friday to try their luck.

I've never done this before, I've always got my iPhones well after the release date, but I've been dying for Retina display ever since the iPhone 4 came out. Think I'll have to get there super early? I'm not the account holder, but I just registered myself as an authorized user. I don't have class Fridays so this will be kind of a fun, hectic way to spend my free day I guess.

Is it better to head to ATT or the Apple store?

 

[amann76]

good luck

 

[ZBoater]

Apple Store for sure.

Enjoy the experience!

 

[nfl46]

They will be available for walk-ins. Depends on your location. You have Wal-Mart, Best Buy, AT&T, Apple Store, etc. to buy one. The Apple Store will carry the most iPhones but will probably have longer lines...I'm going to the AT&T store just because its walking distance from my house...I'm going to be be there early just to be safe...get my iPhone, then go back home and sleep the rest of the day.

 

[rgarjr]

Apple store at iPhone launch is where u really get to see and experience the fanboyism.

 

[AppleWizard]

Unfortunately I have to go to school next Friday, so I can't wait in line. I've been an Apple fan for quite a few years, but I've never been able to experience the excitement of waiting on line with other Apple fans, maybe one day the release date of an Apple product will be on a Saturday, or at least a day where I have no school.

 

[rockyroad55]

If Apple released the 4S during the summer like it used to be, I would be waiting in line but I have a midterm next Friday so can't do it this time around.

 

[ZBoater]

...maybe one day the release date of an Apple product will be on a Saturday, or at least a day where I have no school.

Or maybe someday you'll be out of school, in a regular job, and you can call in sick that Friday...

 

[jttran241]

i hope you have a good time camping out next friday. I'm going to be doing the same with a buddy of mine but at best buy instead. should make having the iphone that much more special to me

 

[628]

If you want to be the first 10-20 people I suggest going there 9 hours in advance, or else good luck with the line.

 

[DravenGSX]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A5313e Safari/7534.48.3)

For the iPhone 4, I got To the apple store at 10pm the night before. I was 31st in line. By 7 AM, there were well over 500 people in line (entire width of a mall hallway wrapped in a queue all the way down two hallways). I received the last walk-in iPhone at 12:30 pm.

Good luck.

 

[haticK]

i cant imagine going into an apple store on an iPhone launch day. the one at the mall around here is packed with people 24/7

 

[BFW122083]

Last year I was first in line at the Apple store in Lancaster Pa. I got there around 4:30am. The mall guards were kicking people out of the parking lot, saying you can't come on the property until 6. I moved my car to the other side of the mall and slowly walked behind the guards to the mall entrance and just sat down in the corner. No one noticed me as I watched them turn other cars away. News vans rolled up, and then some other dude walked up right around 5:30.

People were hiding in bushes because once everyone saw him walk up about a hundred people came running. It was insane I almost got trampled on, but there I was first in line. Local news interviewed me lol. They let us in the mall around 6:30, and apple opened at 7. They were giving out water and donuts. I was outta there at 8:30 with two phones. It was pretty fun, but this year I just pre ordered to avoid the chaos!

It's all luck, there were people there long before me, but I ended up being in the front. Good luck!

 

[ma1234]

My local Sprint Store is taking names. Just specify the color/size, and theymwill hold it for you on Friday. But must pick it up by closing, or it will be return to store stock on Saturday.

 

[jkim3691]

I'm definitely no fanboy and I'm not doing this for the "experience". I'm doing this cause I missed out on the pre-order. Didn't have the money that day.

I actually want an easy get in get out situation that will give me the best chance at getting a phone release day.

There are 3 possible stores I could go to that morning: Best Buy which is 5 minutes from my house, the ATT store which is 10 minutes from my house, or the Apple store which is 15 minutes from my house. I know the Apple store will be the most crowded, but will have the most stock. I'm thinking the small ATT store near my place will be my best bet. Any thoughts?

Part of me just wants to put in a preorder right now and wait the extra week just to be safe, but the other part of me just wants to gamble it all on release day.

 

[Rafterman]

Unfortunately I have to go to school next Friday, so I can't wait in line. I've been an Apple fan for quite a few years, but I've never been able to experience the excitement of waiting on line with other Apple fans, maybe one day the release date of an Apple product will be on a Saturday, or at least a day where I have no school.

Excitement? More like mind-numbing boredom.

 

[ZBoater]

Part of me just wants to put in a preorder right now and wait the extra week just to be safe, but the other part of me just wants to gamble it all on release day.

So make both parts happy. Do both. If you get stuck with two phones, return one unopened for a full refund. No harm.

 

[jkim3691]

So make both parts happy. Do both. If you get stuck with two phones, return one unopened for a full refund. No harm.

Don't have money for two phones.

 

[rkahl]

Or maybe someday you'll be out of school, in a regular job, and you can call in sick that Friday...

Unless your boss is 50 people behind you like mine was for the 4.

 

[flipninja]

I'm going next Friday too. I don't know how lines are here in Hawaii (I live on the biggest island yet its not as packed as Oahu) so I'm not sure if there will be a long line... I will chance it and go at 7am or so (to verizon).

 

[ravenvii]

Because I have a unorthodox plan with AT&T (not grandfathered in - just a plan that's technically not allowed according to their policy), I have to go in person on Friday, probably at the AT&T store because it's closest. Can't pre-order and keep my plan.

*shrug* it is what it is.

 

[Sp71Supra]

I honestly think this phone is going to be readily available on launch day. It seems over the years the launches have calmed down.

When I got Iphone 2g at launch day, I waited in line since 4am when it didn't launch till 8pm.

The 3G I only waited in line like 5 hours, the 3GS 3 hours, and the iP4 only 3 hours. All but the 2g launch, people came in 2 hours before launch and most all got phones.

Also im guessing most of the hardware (screen, case, buttons, etc..) is the same as the iPhone 4. Since those parts are readily available im sure apple has a ton of 4S's in stock for this launch. On top of that, this phone is not a serious upgrade from the 4.. I see less people upgrading to it.

Either way.. good luck. I would get there 4-5 hours in advance if you MUST have one.

 

[jkim3691]

I honestly think this phone is going to be readily available on launch day. It seems over the years the launches have calmed down.

When I got Iphone 2g at launch day, I waited in line since 4am when it didn't launch till 8pm.

The 3G I only waited in line like 5 hours, the 3GS 3 hours, and the iP4 only 3 hours. All but the 2g launch, people came in 2 hours before launch and most all got phones.

Also im guessing most of the hardware (screen, case, buttons, etc..) is the same as the iPhone 4. Since those parts are readily available im sure apple has a ton of 4S's in stock for this launch. On top of that, this phone is not a serious upgrade from the 4.. I see less people upgrading to it.

Either way.. good luck. I would get there 4-5 hours in advance if you MUST have one.

Thanks for the insight. I still don't know which retailer I want to go to (Apple, ATT, or Best Buy). Going to make a few calls this week.

 

[Sp71Supra]

Thanks for the insight. I still don't know which retailer I want to go to (Apple, ATT, or Best Buy). Going to make a few calls this week.

I don't know what area your from, but I in a smaller area about 45min from Pittsburgh. I always lucked out at smaller ATT stores in plazas around town. Apple no doubt will have more stock, but at the same time most of the time the Apple stores are in highly populated high $ areas... I would try and find a smaller ATT store and call and ask how the turn out there was for the iPhone 4 launch, should give you a good idea.

If she said they had 50+ people in line when they got there at 8am, then I would call another store, lol

 

[jkim3691]

I don't know what area your from, but I in a smaller area about 45min from Pittsburgh. I always lucked out at smaller ATT stores in plazas around town. Apple no doubt will have more stock, but at the same time most of the time the Apple stores are in highly populated high $ areas... I would try and find a smaller ATT store and call and ask how the turn out there was for the iPhone 4 launch, should give you a good idea.

If she said they had 50+ people in line when they got there at 8am, then I would call another store, lol

I live in a quiet area in Maryland a few minutes out from Baltimore. The ATT store by my house hasn't been around that long. Not sure if they were around for the iPhone 4 release. But it's a tiny store, parking lot that could probably fit maybe 10 or so cars. The Best Buy is also new too.

Hopefully it'll be easier this time around with it not being summertime and kids in school and people at work.