“With the iPhone 5S expected to be in short supply, lines have already begun to form at Apple Stores around the world, but there is no need to panic,” Dan Graziano reports for CNET. “The most important rule for avoiding crowds on iPhone launch day is to steer clear of Apple Stores. The launch of a new smartphone is a celebration in Apple’s eyes and loyal customers will gladly wait hours, or, in some cases, even days to get their hands on the company’s latest device. Apple Stores open at 8:00 a.m. local time on Friday, so be sure to plan your morning commute accordingly.”
“Best Buy, Walmart, and RadioShack will be offering Apple’s new iPhones on September 20. These locations tend to have a decent supply and smaller crowds than carrier or Apple Stores,” Graziano reports. “Stores are scheduled to open at 8 a.m. local time on Friday.”
Graziano reports, “The only guaranteed way to avoid the crowds is to order the iPhone 5S or 5C online from Apple or your respective carrier. Then again, you can always use a service like TaskRabbit to pay someone to wait in line for you.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: iPhone 5s owners will be an exclusive club for quite some time. Good luck everybody (after we get our orders in)!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
iPhone 5s demand quickly outstrips supplies around the world – September 19, 2013
Queues grow for new iPhones at Apple Store Fifth Avenue – September 19, 2013
Carriers and non-Apple U.S. retailers will have almost no Gold or Silver iPhone 5s units in stores for tomorrow’s launch – September 19, 2013
I will as always order mine from Apple as soon as I get to work. Much easier than standing in line. Champagne for me
Are you working at work?
Just dress up as a cop and take a cop car and go around the line and get your goods before everyone else. Just don’t speed and go through stop signs/lights, etc on the way home and get pulled over by the real cops!
If you don’t know what the heck I’m talking about:
http://nypost.com/2013/09/17/life-imitates-art-trio-busted-posing-as-cops-to-get-gtav-sooner/
T-Mobile is offering up the 5c, but I’m on a waiting list to be notified when the 5s will be available. My trusty 4 will have to do until then. iOS 7 works nicely on it for now though.
Just ordered mine (black (okay, gray!), 64), and, NO store pickup! 🙁
So, you can wait a week for delivery (my choice) or try a store that will probably be sold out later in the day.
Wonder why no preorder, no store reservations?
But then you miss all the fun! 🙂
Ordered mine through the app (32GB Gold) and had a confirmation email before the website was even online. Ships in 1-3 business days. 🙂
Yahoo, got mine 64 gig Gold AT&T. To arrive Oct 7 to 11th. Wow, $474 with CA sales tax. And then I will need to add Applecare. Not cheap, but worth every penny. Wife gets my 5 and her 4s gets sold.
Wow…..your wife gets your used hand me downs….way to show respect to your wife. She must be thrilled.
Stopped in at the Burton, MI WalMart on the way to work at 6:10 am and they did not even know there was a new iPhone out.
Nephew scored an iP 5c and my niece picked up an iP 5S (Space) this morning no problems from Vodafone in Cairns in Oz. No dough upfront but a they’re committed to a two year contract.
Spoke to the day shift at the Burton WalMart and the iPhone 5 go one sale at 9a.m. But they only have the Verison carrier iPhones.
I got in line (#17) at the AT&T store in Eden Prairie MN at 6:55 am. They only had the black/space gray in stock so a number of people left to order online. I was out the door with my 5s by 8:32 am. I’m at home setting it up now.