Pre-orders for iPhone 4 start tomorrow, and demand will likely be high. That means you should figure out where, when and how you’ll be getting your hands on the next generation iPhone. Let me tell you the ways:
The first and most obvious place to get iPhone 4 is straight from Apple. Pre-orders start tomorrow at an unspecified time online, or whenever your local Apple store opens. If you reserve one for in store pickup, you can go get it any time on the 24th, but if you have it delivered you’ll have to wait for it to be delivered. It’s only a few hours difference, but it matters to some.
The second most obvious place to get your iPhone 4 is from AT&T. This is the only choice, as far as I’m aware, for (US) upgraders. So if you already have an iPhone and live in the US, you have to go through AT&T unless you want to pay full price or start another line of service. You can preorder online or in store, and you’ll be required to pay it in full tomorrow as well. Just like Apple, you can reserve an iPhone for in-store pickup or delivery on the 24th.. Actually, if you choose to have your iPhone 4 shipped to an AT&T store, you’ll have to wait an extra day, June 25, to actually pick it up. Yikes!
There are also a number of other retail locations where you can get your iPhone. Best Buy will start taking preorders tomorrow along with Apple and AT&T. They’re structured a little differently. You pay $50 tomorrow and the rest on the 24th when you pick it up. Radio Shack is doing something similar. And finally, you can’t preorder an iPhone through WalMart, but you can buy one on the 24th. It will be interesting to see if 24 hour WalMarts will have a midnight launch, but I’m doubting it.
I think AT&T’s site is going to be seeing a lot of traffic and sales tomorrow. Remember, you can have your iPhone 4 shipped to your house, but you’ll be at the mercy of either UPS or FedEx as to when you actually get it. If you need to be in control just a little bit more, reserve one for in store pickup, but I’d have to advise you to only do that if you’re picking it up at an Apple Store. I think I can handle waiting for it at home.
Oh, and rumor has it that iPhone 4 in white will not be available until later this summer. That will be a big bummer for a lot of people if it turns out to be true.
From what I understand, you can do the upgrades at the Apple store as well.
Uh, no. You can order your phone from Apple and pay the upgrade price. They scrape your info from AT&T's website. You won't pay full price, unless you're not eligible for upgrade. Also, AT&T has made it clear in all their press releases that if you pre-order for store pickup, you can't pick up your phone until the 25th. You really should fact check your articles before you publish them.
Thanks HB, that one definitely slipped past me. I've updated the article. Thanks again.
um… I really don't think Apple would 'not release' the white… that is so dumb! That's like saying, "oh… the 32 and 64 gig iPads are being released, but the 32 gig actually won't be available…" There is NO way they would do that!
It's true: the white version is unavailable for pre-order.
Is it possible to get one without an AT&T contract? Need to know before I order. Thanks.
Yes, you can, it'll just cost you an extra $200. It's not usable in the US on any other 3G network though.