iPhone 5 (contract-free) - best launch day plan?

[wegotapp]

So this Tuesday 4th October Apple will unveil the new iPhone Hardware and I'm certain along with the 4s will be an all new iPhone 5 model. In Britain last time, the iPhone 4 got released "Simfree" and could be picked up for £510 ($800) without any plan direct from my local Apple store on launch day. I prefer to buy the phone without any plan as my personal Tarriff is unbeatable (£10 per month for with unlimited texts, 1GB internet & unlimited calls to my family/friends on same network plus credit left for other calls) and I like to change my phone every 12 months, the resale value of iPhones is amazing. So last time I pre-ordered the iPhone 4 online immediately and payment was taken from my balance at that exact point and days before launch day.

My problem this time round is I don't get paid my salary until Monday 10th October, which is still likely before launch day but AFTER preorders would have already began and probably sold out.

My question is this? If I don't preorder, can I simply queue from say 8am in the morning (in the UK the iPhone 5 probably won't go on sale until about 5pm UK time just like the iPad 2 did because of time difference). I wouldn't wanna queue up for 8 hours without a preorder to be told they had all sold out

What are your guys recommendations? (...and no I don't have a credit card I can put it on nor do I wish to get it on a phone plan contract). Thanks

 

[Deako]

I queued for iPhone 4 from 6am. And I pre ordered. It wasnt an evening launch in the UK.

Best tactic would get in line for the "no preorders" queue from about 5am if you want any chance of getting a phone and getting out of the store before lunch time.

Also, if you pre-order, you dont actually pay for your item until you collect it from the store. So my recommendation would be. PRE ORDER!!!

 

[Rasta4i]

It should be fine to queue up from earlier in the day, I plan to buy it sim free also. I just hope they don't do that 5pm crap again!

 

[macingman]

It should be fine to queue up from earlier in the day, I plan to buy it sim free also. I just hope they don't do that 5pm crap again!

5PM was the best. I was able to have a normal day and just line up at 4:00 and casually get my iPad 2 at 5:00. I was pretty lucky though.




If it is a 8am launch I will line up at like 3-4am.

 

[wegotapp]

i queued for iphone 4 from 6am. And i pre ordered. It wasnt an evening launch in the uk.

Best tactic would get in line for the "no preorders" queue from about 5am if you want any chance of getting a phone and getting out of the store before lunch time.

Also, if you pre-order, you dont actually pay for your item until you collect it from the store. So my recommendation would be. Pre order!!!

See I'd be happy to preorder online before I get paid and then collect in-store after my payday, but when I tried to do this with the iPad if I remember I didn't have the funds it wouldn't let me do it online saying contact my card issuer! Its strange because Amazon let me do this all the time with their preorders don't get charged until day of dispatch. Maybe its my debit card and Apple check I have the funds available, when there is non it rejects? Hmm.

Anyway it looks like i'll be queuing with all the others . The other concern I have is what happened with the iPad2 launch - didn't go on sale until 5pm because they wanted it released at morning Californian Pacific Time Zone? Really hope Apple don't do this again, ecspecially since I live 5 mins away from my local Apple store its torture

 

[Deako]

Did you try and order an iPad for delivery? They check that there are card funds available, effectively, putting a reservation on the funds.

If you order for store collection with an iPhone, because they arent sure if you will buy sim free or on contract or upgrade, then the price varies.

So all the iPhone pre order does is guarantee you will receive one on launch day.

 

[wegotapp]

Did you try and order an iPad for delivery? They check that there are card funds available, effectively, putting a reservation on the funds.

If you order for store collection with an iPhone, because they arent sure if you will buy sim free or on contract or upgrade, then the price varies.

So all the iPhone pre order does is guarantee you will receive one on launch day.

Hi Deako, nope I tried to reserve the ipad for store collection using my debit card before I had available funds. There was a few hundred £ in my account but not the full amount yet my card was declined.

I was annoyed at the time but then realised if they didn't make a charge (or at least check I had the funds) then people "trolls" could effectively preorder every single device and then just not collect it - effectively holding up Apples stock. I guess it makes sense for them to place a reserve or check on your funds to check its a genuine order even if they don't take payment until in the store.

Fingers x'd on Tuesday afternoon should know whats happeing? ...any in anycase I will certainly try to preorder using my card again

 

[ckc]

Hi Deako, nope I tried to reserve the ipad for store collection using my debit card before I had available funds. There was a few hundred £ in my account but not the full amount yet my card was declined.

The pre-order works much like when you check into a hotel using your card.

If the phone is £600 (for arguments sake) Apple run that amount through your card to basically put a hold on that part of your available credit and it is then up to the card issuer if they accept the charge.

If you are short of that credit then a lot of issuers will decline the authorisation. If they do accept it then you card is flagged with the amount of credit that has been reserved for Apple, that stays there (depending on the card issuer) for about 30 days.