Apple fans rejoice! The long-awaited iPhone X is almost here.
Preorders start at 12:01 a.m. PT Friday, (that's 3:01 a.m. for you folks on the East Coast), while the phones will hit stores at 8 a.m. local time on Nov. 3. But if the rumors are right, supplies for the pricey handset are going to be extremely limited, with preorders expected to sell out within seconds.
Scott Peterson, an analyst who tracks smartphones for Gap Intelligence, a retail market research firm, says the buzz around the iPhone X is louder than it has been around other Apple phone launches in recent years. And enthusiasm is not being dampened by the $999 price tag, which makes it one of the most expensive phones out there.
Peterson notes that instead of following its recent practice of encouraging people to just stay home and order online, or pick up their new iPhone at a neighborhood retailer, Apple is making a point of saying that its stores will have phones in stock on Nov. 3, but that consumers should show up early to get one.
As a result, he says, we'll probably see a return to the long lines of days of yore. And shoppers who don't grab phones fast could be waiting until January or February to get them.
"I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I will be," Peterson says.
So set your alarm for the wee hours of Friday and buckle up for what will undoubtedly be a mad online rush for preorders. Remember the last time you tried to buy concert tickets for your favorite band? It could be like that.
To help, here are some tips for scoring an iPhone X preorder.
Download the Apple Store App
Apple created this app with the singular purpose of selling you the company's stuff.
The app is designed to streamline the buying process, whether you're shopping for the iPhone X or the new Apple TV 4K. In addition to giving you quick access to the products, it stores your credit card and shipping info, also speeding up the process.
While the rest of the year it might just be a waste of storage on your phone, Apple says that come Friday the app may be your best bet for scoring an iPhone X preorder. Skip the retailers and carriers, fire up this puppy, and sign in to your Apple account.
All of your carrier information will already be there, helping to speed things along, though you probably will need to enter basic information such as the last four digits of your Social Security number, ZIP code, or carrier PIN to confirm that you are indeed you.
Have Your Ducks in a Row
Regardless of who you buy from, make sure you've got all your information in order. This is not the time to ponder switching carriers, monthly plans, or what phone color looks best with your new winter coat.
Log in to your carrier account ahead of time in a separate browser window. That way, you'll have all your information at your fingertips.
As far as colors and storage capacity go, you've only got two choices for both of those this time—silver or gray, and 64GB or 256GB.
Color is really a matter of personal preference (and the styling of that new coat), but when it comes to storage, bigger is usually better.
If you're the kind of person who likes to hoard apps and take lots of pictures and HD videos, cough up the extra bucks for the big one if you can. You're already spending a grand, so what's another $150?
Don't Count On the Stores
Are you the type of person who would rather spend a Friday morning in line with your fellow Apple faithful than wake up in the wee hours of the morning to preorder online alone?
That could work—but you may end up disappointed.
As mentioned above, Apple's stores, along with major retailers, will have some phones in stock when they go on sale next Friday, but supplies will be very limited. That makes it likely that many shoppers will end up empty-handed, Peterson says.
So if you have to have your phone on launch day and can preorder, do it.
Avoid Third-Party Sellers
For the love of humanity, don't buy from scalpers through resale sites like eBay. You're only making a growing problem worse.
As they do with any hot item—such as concert tickets, collectible shoes, or new gaming systems—scalpers are targeting the iPhone X. The second the presale starts, they'll be using automated shopping bots (along with super-quick fingers), to pick up as many new iPhones as they can in the hope of later selling them to you at a hefty markup. Preorders haven't even started yet and some ambitious sellers already have phones listed for upwards of $3,000.
Apple may run out of phones for the Nov. 3 launch, but the company still wants your money and will make sure you get one eventually. Isn't waiting a few weeks better than shelling out hundreds (or thousands) more for what's already one of the most expensive phones on the market?
