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iPhone 15 Pro Max Camping overnight on launch day still a thing in 2023?

I

islack

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 22, 2020
48
19
Do Apple Stores still have "stock on hand" for random people who lineup at the store without a reservation?

I live walking distance to a store and I am debating if I want to try to wake up at 5am to line up there to try my luck at securing a 256GB Pro Max Natural Titanium one... cuz my preorder delivery date is a month out.

I never tried camping before - is 3 hours before opening not enough? also not sure if COVID change this all so please let me know if anyone did this last year.
 
islack said:
Do Apple Stores still have "stock on hand" for random people who lineup at the store without a reservation?

I live walking distance to a store and I am debating if I want to try to wake up at 5am to line up there to try my luck at securing a 256GB Pro Max Natural Titanium one... cuz my preorder delivery date is a month out.

I never tried camping before - is 3 hours before opening not enough? also not sure if COVID change this all so please let me know if anyone did this last year.
Click to expand...

Just order for store pickup on launch day that morning. Don't camp out.
 
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The one thing that stayed from the Angela Ahrendts era of Apple retail was the mantra of “Get inline online.”

Most either have reserved their iPhones through in-store pickup or delivery.

An iPhone launch weekend at an Apple Store will have two lines for sales. One for reservations, one for non-reservations. Will they have stock available for walk-ins? Yes. How much of the stock is available for walk-ins? Who knows.

There’s also the possibility stock will appear for reservation before they open on the 22nd. Best recommendation is to keep an eye on the website once they close the store on Thursday night until they open that morning. Same applies to any day following launch.
 
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Lobwedgephil said:
Just order for store pickup on launch day that morning. Don't camp out.
Click to expand...
the website failed me and I couldn't secure a launch day appointment.

I was able to get delivery for October 9th - which is a bit further away that what I wanted. Just don't know if Apple Stores get shipped more units than those reserved... if they do, I may get lucky and thus why i am asking
 
VeganExplorer said:
The one thing that stayed from the Angela Ahrendts era of Apple retail was the mantra of “Get inline online.”

Most either have reserved their iPhones through in-store pickup or delivery.

An iPhone launch weekend at an Apple Store will have two lines for sales. One for reservations, one for non-reservations. Will they have stock available for walk-ins? Yes. How much of the stock is available for walk-ins? Who knows.

There’s also the possibility stock will appear for reservation before they open on the 22nd. Best recommendation is to keep an eye on the website once they close the store on Thursday night until they open that morning. Same applies to any day following launch.
Click to expand...

5:00am Pacific time is when online updates for pickup, assuming same as always.
 
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islack said:
the website failed me and I couldn't secure a launch day appointment.

I was able to get delivery for October 9th - which is a bit further away that what I wanted. Just don't know if Apple Stores get shipped more units than those reserved... if they do, I may get lucky and thus why i am asking
Click to expand...

Sure, but not really getting lucky, stores will have some amount of supply for walk in lines, and some amount for same day orders which open same time next Friday morning.
 
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Apple Stores usually have extra iPhones in stock for walk-in customers. There is no guarantee they will have the exact color and configuration you want. I would recommend ordering online or be open to other colors/configurations.
 
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Thanks! I didn't know additional stock gets released at 5am PST / 8am EST on launch day.

I will try the website at that time and see if new appointment slots come online. 8am is the same time the store is opening on Friday september 22nd - so maybe I try this as i wait at the door.
 
That’s like driving to the venue and expecting to be able to buy Taylor Swift tickers at the day of the concert. Ain’t happening like that anymore. You either manage to catch one of the limited last minute in-store pick up’s online or you’ll unfortunately be out of luck
 
The store near me usually sets up 2 queues, one for reservations which moves extremely quickly and one for walk-ins but those people are normally spoken to and told if they've got anything and whether or not there will be any that day, so even then they're just given reservations and sent away until later.

I'm sure there's a few that get to the shopping centre super early but don't think they've had a camp out since maybe the iPhone X, perhaps even longer.
 
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Camping out for iPhones is a thing of the past. The last time people legitimately camped out for iPhones was in 2017 for the iPhone X. Though I do kinda miss it as I made real-life friends waiting in line at the iPhone 4, 5, and 7 plus launches.

Yeah, Apple stores do have limited stock for walk-ins. But don’t get your hopes up as it’s 100% luck on if you will A) get the model you want B) the storage capacity you want, and C) the color you want.
 
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Also, I figure a lot of people whose launch dates slipped to October are going to be doing the same. Just check your local Apple Store inventory every day after Thursday before launch. The stores randomly get new stock throughout the week.
 
It died years ago but people will still be waiting in line. Every year I go to Apple Store on launch day to pick up my new device they are there.
 
I don’t think I’ve seen people do that.

Anyway go to San Francisco I’ll be exciting to camp outside the Apple Store. Maybe a few people will throw you a few dollars lol
 
I can not speak for this year but last year my local Apple Store had some stock available for walkins. I would check the app for a pick up appointment several times a day you should find something before your oct ship date.
 
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Could also someone tell me how is the availability in-stores around the beginning of Oct?
I'm not from the US but have a few friends that will be in NYC from 5th Oct and since I missed the shipping window I was hoping they could grab one while in the city.
 
stxphdj said:
Could also someone tell me how is the availability in-stores around the beginning of Oct?
I'm not from the US but have a few friends that will be in NYC from 5th Oct and since I missed the shipping window I was hoping they could grab one while in the city.
Click to expand...
Start checking of availability up to 7 day in advance. Apple will hold your phone for up to 7 days. Stores get shipments in regularly so I would just check several times a day.
 
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bhall110 said:
Start checking of availability up to 7 day in advance. Apple will hold your phone for up to 7 days. Stores get shipments in regularly so I would just check several times a day.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that’ll be the plan if I’m not able to reserve a walk in for today while they’re in Boston.
 
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