iPhone 6s/6s+ Shipping - UPS tips

[nikhilnagaraj24]

So, this is the 4th year in a row that I am getting the new iPhone shipped to me. This is what I have learnt over the years that may interest some people here. Maybe most of you already know. But I am sure there some out there who could find these tips valuable.

These tips apply primarily to UPS(tried and tested and applies to orders from Apple and AT&T. Maybe other carriers too). If it works with Fedex(Verizon Customers???) as well, please let us know.

1. Create your my UPS account by going to ups.com. This will give you shipment notifications and informs you 24 hours earlier on a scheduled delivery.

2. Once your phone ships out and if your Tracking number hasn't been updated on apple.com or att.com Order Status page, you can track it on 'my UPS' by reference number, which is your phone number (the one you are upgrading). This obviously wont work with a new line and if you don't know your new phone number. Not sure I remember if your order number works as reference.

3. If UPS delivers in your area only by the fag end of the day(like my area) and you are like me and cant wait the whole day to get your hands on your new toy, login to my UPS a day in advance and request the shipment to be held at your local UPS location. If it is close enough to you (or you dont mind driving a few miles), then you can head there on release day in time for it to open and manually pick it up. This way, you can even have it earlier than most UPS delivery time frames.

My ATT.com order status page says the shipment date is 24th. AT&T is known to have shipped phones earlier in the past. SO I am going to try my luck and see if I can get my hands on it on the 24th.

Please let us know if there are any other tips to make the wait a little less torturous.

 

[Spink10]

Very good tips

 

[vikingjunior]

I have a UPS tip........GO TO APPLE STORE AND PICK IT UP on 25th.

 

[cousintim]

My ATT.com order status page says the shipment date is 24th. AT&T is known to have shipped phones earlier in the past. SO I am going to try my luck and see if I can get my hands on it on the 24th.

Not gonna happen.

 

[eyoungren]

If you are anal about tracking your launch day phone like I was, you can watch your UPS flight if you want. You just need to know where the airplane is and the appx. time the flight departs. Cross reference that with flight departures for UPS at flightaware.com and you'll find your aircraft. Which you can track all the way to the destination airport if you like.

 

[celly]

If you are anal about tracking your launch day phone like I was, you can watch your UPS flight if you want. You just need to know where the airplane is and the appx. time the flight departs. Cross reference that with flight departures for UPS at flightaware.com and you'll find your aircraft. Which you can track all the way to the destination airport if you like.

I did that two years ago with my 5s. That was pathetic.

 

[eyoungren]

I did that two years ago with my 5s. That was pathetic.

LOL. Well, in my case, with the 5, I saw it come in around 4pm the day before launch day so I knew it was going to be out for delivery on launch day.

Pathetic maybe, but I don't really have a life so par for the course for me I guess.

 

[DoofenshmirtzEI]

If you are anal about tracking your launch day phone like I was, you can watch your UPS flight if you want. You just need to know where the airplane is and the appx. time the flight departs. Cross reference that with flight departures for UPS at flightaware.com and you'll find your aircraft. Which you can track all the way to the destination airport if you like.

I have extensive past experience with tracking my launch day phone.

Most phones will originate in China. Occasionally, someone has had their phone come out of stock that was staged in bulk in the US and then shipped individually from there. Sometimes you will see tracking movement inside China before it gets on a plane. Once on a plane, it may go to someplace like Hong Kong or Incheon, South Korea before heading to Alaska, but normally, flights go direct to Alaska. From Alaska, it will change planes and go to the worldport at Louisville, Kentucky to clear customs, even if you live on the west coast (last time I did this a fair number of west coast people had their phone shipped out of local staging from near Los Angeles). From there, a plane will take off once a minute or so from around 3am to 4am fanning out across the US. Many highly populated areas like New York, LA, etc. have multiple planes, so if you are watching flightaware.com and see a UPS flight take off for your city and no updated tracking, don't fret, there may be another one in the line waiting. Some smaller places the plane will not be non-stop to your city, but stop along the way, so you may not see a plane direct for your local UPS hub.

Now, this all presupposes that they are being shipped UPS, but my phone has always come UPS, though I don't order one every year.

 

[eyoungren]

Yeah, my iPhone 5 was shipped from Louisville in 2012. One of the one's that had been bulk-staged.

I had the distinct privilege (not) of knowing it was sitting on UPS's ramp for a week before it was loaded on to the aircraft for launch day (a direct 4 hour flight from Louisville to Phoenix, AZ).