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Where Will You Buy the New iPhone?

Where do you plan to buy the new iPhone?

  • AppleStore.com

    Votes: 200 54.2%

  • Apple Brick & Mortar Store

    Votes: 49 13.3%

  • Wirelesss Carrier Store (AT&T, VZW, Sprint, etc.)

    Votes: 81 22.0%

  • Big Box Store (Wal-Mart, Target, BestBuy, etc.)

    Votes: 23 6.2%

  • Other Authorized 3rd Party Retailer

    Votes: 4 1.1%

  • Other (Explain below)

    Votes: 12 3.3%
  • Total voters
    369
  • Poll closed .
I will maybe get it in a few years from one of my parents who are upgrading to the iPhone 6 or something.

Or one from eBay that cannot make phone calls and is basically a super iPod touch.
 
I will preorder most likely, but I want to camp out of the Apple store in Salt Lake. I think it would be a fun experience. Also upgrading from 3GS!
 
Will be inline on launch day, it will be my 5th IPhone (upgrade every year)
I sold my factory unlocked 4S to my Brother a few days ago and used my carrier upgrade to test out the Galaxy S3 all I can say is the IPhone 5 launch day can not come fast enough.
 
roberthodgson said:
Will be inline on launch day, it will be my 5th IPhone (upgrade every year)
I sold my factory unlocked 4S to my Brother a few days ago and used my carrier upgrade to test out the Galaxy S3 all I can say is the IPhone 5 launch day can not come fast enough.
Click to expand...

i feel the same way =/...using a nexus until the 5 comes out and it cannot get here fast enough.
 
iapplelove said:
I usually preorder online but chose in store pickup ,have an apple store 5 minutes from my house
Click to expand...

I usually wait in the long ass lines, but will go online this year. Do they allow you to preorder the day the phone is announced and you just pray you are in the first batch?
 
bandofbrothers said:
Hi,

In the Uk new iPhones tend not to be released on pay as you go until approx 3-4 months after being released for contract customers.

So the choices for me are :

Wait until its released on my chosen network.

Buy straight from an Apple retail store.

Buy from a well known Uk high street shop that buys unwanted phones from joe public.

Upside is I get to monitor peoples updates and feedback on the good and the bad of the new handset. :D

Downside is I don't get my hands on the new toy for a period of time. :(
Click to expand...

The 4S was released as Pay As You Go from the start in the UK, not sure if that was true for the 4.
Anyway, should I like the next iPhone, I will order it from the Apple store.
I certainly won't be waiting outside a shop for hours.
 
Online. The Apple stores will be filled with a bunch of idiots who camped out in front of the store.
 
I voted for the apple brick & mortar store, i just like going in them. I do not plan on upgrading until January so there sould be plenty in stock by then.

I just like the expereince in the store.
 
Like my current 4S, probably BestBuy. I waited and waited to find a 64GB white iPhone at BestBuy and was finally able to find one towards the end of January.

I'll wait a few months again this time so I can just go in and buy it.
 
It looks like at this point I'll probably be buying from VZW b/c I have a $30 "New Every Two" discount that Apple doesn't honor. Also, I get 25% off accessories with my state employee discount.

The downside is that I'll have to make a separate trip out to an Apple Store if I choose to get AppleCare+.
 
I voted for the Apple website purely for convenience, but I may change my mind and go for a London store launch once the hype starts!

I picked up my i4 from the Regent St store on release day and it was quite bonkers, but in a good way!

  • Head says buy from Apple online and get delivered to the comfort of my house on release date.
  • Heart says screw waiting for UPS et all to turn up and go get one from an Apple store!

(I'm going SIM Free & unlocked and not on contract, if that also makes any difference).
 
I think from a local network store, like I did the 4. But when I got that it was only on O2, now it is on all networks I'll see what deals there are and go there. No point going to the apple store as that will be by far the busiest, unless that is the only place you can buy it, when there are 5 different network stores not far, hopefully all with it in stock. I don't like ordering online as everyone is out the house 9-5 at work so would miss the delivery.
 
Macman45 said:
^^^

This is a situation that I really hate. I'm planning on coming home to the States in the near future. The way carriers "Lock" your phones back home really does suck.

Here in the UK I buy the phone, sim free and chooses the carrier I want. If I don't like the service, or the coverage isn't up to scratch, I just take out the sim, and pop in another one.

The idea of having to choose my carrier on purchase day, and being stuck with them is not something that appeals to me one bit. It's also apparent from posts here that where you live defines which carrier is best...I guess I will just have to suck it up when I get back.
Click to expand...

I thought that iPhones were sold SIM Free in the US now?

[Edit] - They are if you buy from Apple anyway: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone/iphone4s

(Select a colour and scroll down to the bottom of the page).
 
I've tried to search the forums but to no avail...
Did anyone pre-order their iPhone 4S's via Verizon last year? If so, how did that work out? Can you add on AppleCare+? How fast was the shipping?

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Only 1 Apple store in Indiana, Keystone Mall. Not really to close to where I live...(hint hint, Apple - open a store in West Lafayette, and Boiler Up!)

But apparently the is a trick to keeping unlimited data when you switch to an LTE phone. The ATT store can do it (as of early June at least) but phone sellers can't.
 
bandofbrothers said:
Hi,

In the Uk new iPhones tend not to be released on pay as you go until approx 3-4 months after being released for contract customers.

So the choices for me are :

Wait until its released on my chosen network.

Buy straight from an Apple retail store.

Buy from a well known Uk high street shop that buys unwanted phones from joe public.

Upside is I get to monitor peoples updates and feedback on the good and the bad of the new handset. :D

Downside is I don't get my hands on the new toy for a period of time. :(
Click to expand...

I'm in the UK. I'm certain you can buy an iPhone from Apple (instore/online) on launch day and it will be unlocked to any network.
 
ET iPhone Home said:
I voted: Apple Store. I'm thinking this time around to get an unlocked iPhone 5 and go with a Virgin Mobile plan a subsidized the cost through their inexpensive plans. I really don't need Data and could wait 'till I get somewhere with wi-fi to access any data needed. I noticed VirginMobile only carries a 4 8GB or a 4S 16GB, so I suspect, they won't carry the 32GB or 64GB variation of the next iPhone.
Click to expand...

I don't think Apple sells the VM phones, you may have to go to the Virgin store to get one in this case. Apple does not sell Cricket or other regional carriers in their stores right now. Just ATT Sprint and VZW from Apple, if you want the other carriers, you have to go to the carrier store.
 
I've got a $50 off coupon at Best Buy whenever I choose to upgrade my phone, so I'll be doing it there if possible.
 
Online at AppleStore.com.

I've got the 4 in line and the iPad 2 in line. Plus did a Apple Store opening line just for good measure. That's enough lines for me.
 
dontwalkhand said:
I don't think Apple sells the VM phones, you may have to go to the Virgin store to get one in this case. Apple does not sell Cricket or other regional carriers in their stores right now. Just ATT Sprint and VZW from Apple, if you want the other carriers, you have to go to the carrier store.
Click to expand...

I figured those VM iPhones were unlocked because they were charging $650 for 16GB 4S. I thought you could use VM sims for any unlocked phone, whether the phones be purchased at an Apple Store or a VM Store. Am I wrong about that?

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phones/iPhone4S-16GB-phone.jsp?tab=tab6
 
ET iPhone Home said:
I figured those VM iPhones were unlocked because they were charging $650 for 16GB 4S. I thought you could use VM sims for any unlocked phone, whether the phones be purchased at an Apple Store or a VM Store. Am I wrong about that?

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phones/iPhone4S-16GB-phone.jsp?tab=tab6
Click to expand...

Virgin Mobile is a Sprint subsidiary, so CDMA :(...and the GSM portion is as locked as ever. The best thing to do would be to buys an unlocked iPhone from the Apple Store and place a SIM card from Straight Talk, T-Mobile, or SIMple mobile. (Prepaid AT&T is just too expensive for data)
 
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