Keep preorder or wait in line?

[KieranDotW]

So like many of you MR users, I stayed up for the preorder launch. And waited. And waited. Finally got through and placed my order at around 2:24, albeit with a disappointing Oct 1-6 delivery date.

Without sounding overly materialistic, I know it's going to kill me to wait an extra 2+ weeks. With that in mind, would it be smarter to keep this preorder or cancel it and wait in line next Friday? How much of a gamble is it to get your hands on an iPhone at launch? (I'd be waiting at the Emeryville, CA store if that makes any difference)

 

[SHKLMRE]

I didn't wait to wait a few days so i'll be at my closest Apple store!

 

[BlueGoldAce]

Go and try to get it at the store. If you get it... Cancel your preorder. If you don't... Keep it.

 

[Chumkiu]

I waited up to order thinking it would go as well as the iPhone 5 launch...
Apple.com was such a cluster ***** that I've decided to go to the apple store on the day.

Normally I would have ordered it but I think because of the craziness with the sizes too and being unsure, I'll head to the store, check out which one I want with it in hand then buy it.
Apple royally messed up this launch. very frustrating.

 

[Frasern1]

If you can get the time off from work/shool I would say go for it nd wait in line. I have never waited in line for an iPhone but I did for my PS4 and it was quite the experience, I enjoyed it a lot. Not something I would do again but it was fun to experience it at least once. It's pretty cool to be surrounded by people who are just as excited as you are for something.

 

[lilmitchmitch]

I typically wait in line every other year because I use a different line's upgrade (apparently this year AT&T started allowing you to swap eligibility beforehand, which would've been nice in the past) ...Anyway, this year I had the option to pre-order, but I decided to test my luck and wait until the 19th to line up.

When I lived in Missouri, there wasn't an Apple store within a 2 hour drive, so I had to go to AT&T. Now I'm in NYC and lining up at Apple requires you to be there days in advance. Last year I went to an AT&T store in Midtown and walked out the door at 8:30am with a new phone. I plan on doing the same this year, except at a different store closer to my new apartment.

 

[MacFly69]

So will each store have phones available for upgrades on that day? i figured all those phones are only for pre-order fulfillments? i'm with ATT

 

[lilmitchmitch]

So will each store have phones available for upgrades on that day? i figured all those phones are only for pre-order fulfillments? i'm with ATT

Depending on the size of the AT&T store, they will receive inventory to sell on the 19th to people who didn't pre-order. Your best bet is to call the closest store to you (or go in if you can) and ask them what they received LAST YEAR in terms of new phones on launch day. That'll give you a sense of what to expect them to get again this year.

 

[Southern Dad]

I waited in line for the 5s. There was limited availability on the larger sizes. I decided to pre-order this time. I got the AT&T Space Gray 6 Plus 128 GB with a ship date 10/13/14 - 10/22/14.

 

[KieranDotW]

If you can get the time off from work/shool I would say go for it nd wait in line. I have never waited in line for an iPhone but I did for my PS4 and it was quite the experience, I enjoyed it a lot. Not something I would do again but it was fun to experience it at least once. It's pretty cool to be surrounded by people who are just as excited as you are for something.

I don't have class on Fridays so I'm lucky in that way. I guess I'll jump the gun and go for it. I'll keep my preorder though and cancel/return it if things work out in store.

 

[phpmaven]

So like many of you MR users, I stayed up for the preorder launch. And waited. And waited. Finally got through and placed my order at around 2:24, albeit with a disappointing Oct 1-6 delivery date.

Without sounding overly materialistic, I know it's going to kill me to wait an extra 2+ weeks. With that in mind, would it be smarter to keep this preorder or cancel it and wait in line next Friday? How much of a gamble is it to get your hands on an iPhone at launch? (I'd be waiting at the Emeryville, CA store if that makes any difference)

I'm assuming you ordered the Plus. Based on the rollout last night, I would assume that the supplies of the Plus are going to be really slim. If you camp out really early, like before midnight on 9/18, you should be OK, but who knows for sure.

I expect to see a lot of weeping and wailing from people who waited for hours in line and weren't able to get a Plus.