Why does it mater if you pre-order?
Give them money now, or give them money when you order the phone on release day.... Makes no difference.
Ah, I didn't realize they shipped pre-orders early.
Carry-on.
Slight distinction here. In previous years at pre-order on Apple.com, you only got the full price option if you don't qualify for a full subsidy or partial subsidy.
I want my phone on release day.
I'd rather not order on release day, wait 3-4 weeks to ship and another week to deliver.
This would be my first pre order at full price. After reading this, it looks like you can't preorder on Apple.com? What would be the best way to get it early? I've always got to pre order.
Thanks, Jerry
The line at the Apple store is likely the only way to get the phone on release day at full price.
Sure, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint will all have an inventory on launch day. They just might not have the color/storage combination you are looking for or in most cases they will not sell initial devices without a contract to you when they have a line of customers waiting to lock into a new two year contract....Does Verizon ever have devices in store on release day?
This would be my first pre order at full price. After reading this, it looks like you can't preorder on Apple.com? What would be the best way to get it early? I've always got to pre order.
Thanks, Jerry
You may be able to order from AT&T's website at full price. However, it will be locked to AT&T, so you'll need to go through the added step of contacting AT&T when you receive it to unlock it. They finally do that now for out-of-contract and no-commitment pricing phones.
But only those with an AT&T account can contact customer service/tech support to get this process started.
A neat catch-22...
Just save the trouble and take a trip to the Apple store.
You may be able to order from AT&T's website at full price. However, it will be locked to AT&T, so you'll need to go through the added step of contacting AT&T when you receive it to unlock it. They finally do that now for out-of-contract and no-commitment pricing phones.
Thanks! So, if I stay with AT&T, then I don't need to get it unlocked, right?
Jerry
I have an AT&T account. I'm looking into the order from AT&T route and did a dry run with a 4S today. AT&T's website (even when you search for "no-commitment phones") tells people to log in and go to the "Upgrade My Phone" link, but that just takes you to the discounted models. What worked in the dry run was going straight to the web site without logging in, searching for the phone, adding it to the cart (selecting the no-commitment option), and then logging in.
The problem isn't the purchase, it's the unlock.
No account = no customer service rep will open a ticket = no tech support = no live chat = no unlocked iPhone no matter how much you paid for it.
In addition, AT&T will unlock an iPhone for: (i) an active and deployed member of the military who is a current AT&T customer in good standing and is able to provide AT&T with deployment verification; and (ii) a person who purchased the iPhone from an authorized location at the "no commitment" price and can provide proof of purchase.
True, but getting it unlocked will let you use it on T-Mobile or with foreign SIM cards. If you don't need that, then just get the subsidized version and have the phone unlocked when your contract is up.
Again. Don't expect Apple or any carrier in the US to off you an unlocked iPhone during pre-order.Is this for paying full price on a carrier phone or to purchase an unlocked phone? I am hoping to preorder an unlocked iPhone when they go on preorder.
No, you just order from Apple.com, the sysem will determine the price that you pay. If it is full price, then you have the option to purchase at that price.Sorry, a bit confused!! If I have AT&T and want to stay with them and not get it unlocked and have to pay the full subsidized price, I still can't pre-order from apple.com right? Maybe i can from AT&T website!!
Thanks, Jerry