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Djs621

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 7, 2008
185
1
We've had 4 years of practice. What do you guys think is the most tried and true method of getting an Iphone on launch day?
 
Having patient, and willing friends who are eager to take bribes.

But to be serious, where I'm from there has been the same group of people every launch, so its pretty cool community, having commonality with those around you and a consistent group has made waiting in the front ends of the lines a lot more tolerable.
 
Best Method: Giving Apple some money tends to be the best way of getting an iPhone, giving them more money will get you more GB's.

My opinion:

Why don't we cross this bridge when the time comes (and a date and details are announced). Not every year is the same, and this year for some reason Apple decided not to allow online orders or in store reservations for the iPad 2.

So lets talk again once Apple makes the announcement with purchasing details.
 
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going an waiting in line really early just isnt for me. although im sure its a cool experience, nothing beats hanging around in your PJs and waiting to order online. granted this method can be unreliable at times because of site overloads and what not, but it is by far the easiest and less stressful. when i preordered the iphone, the at&t site crashed so i went to my local at&t store the next day and just walked up to the counter and preordered one. it could not have been easier
 
I'm debating waiting in line. In years past, I'd wait a couple of days and walk in and buy it. But the iPad 2 shortages that followed a few months after it's launch make me weary that the iPhone 5 could be the same way.

How early is early? 3 hours before it goes on sale? 6 hours? 12 hours?
 
Sneakily order one online, and then wait craftily in your home until it arrives, and which point you should leopard crawl to the front door, and with the speed of a ninja you sign for the package, grab it, and slam the door in the face of the delivery man before he realizes what has happened. :D

On a serious note: pre-order one, other than that, wait in line once you see someone camping outside.
 
Order online.
I'm not real enough to stand in line for 8+ hours. I'd rather get my phone a week or two later than do that. But that being said, there's an order online option so I wouldn't have to do that
 
order online again like I did with the iphone 4.

Sat there getting 'page cannot be displayed' repeatedly during multiple points in the order 'do you want any accessories? > no > next > page cannot be displayed > refresh > try again etc etc

Was a pain but still managed to get a launch day phone. In fact Id rather get one from the second batch than queue outside a store.
 
My girlfriend and I are going to wait in front of a store for hours, we never have before and think it would be a fun experience.
 
this thread clearly shows how fanatic most of you are.
you don't even know what will be on the next iphone (not even the assurance that it will be released this year) and already planning on how to get one.

give all your money to mr. jobs who don't even give his money to charity and not even to apple's stockholders....get all your credit cards out and be sure to pay the minimum monthly payments :D
 
Order online if you absolutely must have it.

I avoid the lines and the craziness like the plague, its not like some contest that you absolutely must win. It is after all a phone :cool:
 
With my 3GS and my wife's 4 I waited in line. When I upgrade to the 5 I'm going to try and pre-order online. Hoping to skip the lines this time.
 
Go early I guess. I'm used to queuing anyway (those 7 hour queues at Wimbledon were actually helpful in some ways). Saying that I want to order online for sure and just get it delivered.
 
Do you think they are going to have pre-orders or will this be like the iPad 2 launch snafu?
 
Preordered mine through my local ATT store. Walked in on launch day activated phones and was out the door in 15 minutes. Att was only giving out preorders for the first few days which was nice.
 
I find a ISP store in the last place people would look, maybe somewhere in the outskirts of the city, maybe in a part of the city nobody expected to have the iPhone. I get their phone number and ask if they'll be getting the iPhones on the launch day. And then i stand about 20mins before the store opens.

That's how i got my iPhone 3G on the first day!

lol, we're talking about launch day tactics when the phone hasn't even been announced yet..
 
Amazes me the number of people that stand in line. When the 4 came out, my daughter needed/wanted the new one - she had the original. After about a week went by and they seemed to be working okay, I ordered one online and go it a few days later.

When we got it, we discovered the damnest thing.

It was still just a phone. What the hell?
 
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