So, the new iPhone 15 range is almost upon us, and pre-orders go live tomorrow (September 15) ahead of their official release a week later (September 22).
Demand for new iPhones is usually pretty high, and as ever it’s likely there will be disappointment once the launch day stock sells out. In past years delivery estimates have often slipped by several weeks within a few minutes of pre-orders going live.
But careful shoppers rarely miss out – we’ve had years of success picking up new Apple devices on launch day. So, here are a few tips to maximize your chances of nabbing a fancy new iPhone as early as possible.
Know when the window opens
Customers flock to make purchases the second the pre-order window opens, but luckily we know when these products will be available down to the minute – so plan accordingly to beat the digital queues and get in the moment Apple opens the virtual doors.
Pre-orders go live simultaneously all over the globe, and if you live on the west coast of the US you’ll have to rise pretty early on Friday to catch the pre-order windows open at 5 am PDT, which of course equates to 8 am EST. UK residents can sleep in all morning ahead of an early afternoon start at 1pm BST. Here are the most common time zones of our readers:
Wherever you are in the world, set an alarm for ten minutes before so you don’t miss it.
Decide exactly what you want
You want to be able to get through the checkout process as quickly as possible – so make sure you’ve decided exactly what it is you want. Remember, there are four distinct models to choose from – if you’re not sure on the differences between iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max, check out our guide to the key differences.
You’ll also need to decide ahead of time which storage capacity, color, and carrier you’ll be selecting. (Head to Settings > General > iPhone Storage on your current device for an idea of how much storage you might reasonably need.)
Also, if you’re dead set on getting a launch day device, be prepared to change plan at the last second. Certain configurations may prove especially popular, and thus some of the shipping estimates will start slipping sooner than others.
When demand is high, you sometimes have to compromise to stay ahead of the crowd. Try mixing up the capacity or color until you find a configuration with suitable shipping times.
Use the Apple Store app
Pre-orders can be made via apple.com, or you could head in-store and speak to an Apple employee face-to-face. But by far the slickest checkout process is via the official Apple Store app. It’s a free download, so grab it now, log in, and make sure your payment and shipping details are up-to-date to avoid wasting precious minutes on the day. Turn on notifications from the app to be kept updated on your purchase.
Using the app, you can pre-select your preferred configuration on Thursday, ready to speed straight through checkout on Friday. Head to the main section of the app and tap Get Ready next to iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro. Choose your specifications, and if you’re planning a trade-in, you can sort that out here as well. Apple will allow users to pre-select in this way until 9 pm PDT on Thursday, eight hours before pre-orders officially begin. So don’t delay.
The Apple Store goes offline for a while whenever Apple readies a new product, but as soon as the launch window opens you can head to the app and skip straight to payment in just a couple of taps.
Buying anything else?
It’s worth noting that some of the other products Apple announced at its Wonderlust event were available for pre-order immediately. Both new Apple Watch models and the new AirPods Pro with USB-C can all be ordered right now, but won’t ship until September 22, same as the iPhone 15 range.
Late to the party
If you’re reading this after September 15, you’ll almost certainly be out of luck for a launch day delivery. But it’s still worth ordering ASAP to avoid in-store queues and shortages. The App Store app will let you know estimated shipping times before you confirm any purchase.
So, if you’ve had your eye on the latest iPhones, there’s nothing more to say but good luck and happy shopping!