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9 Tips for iPhone 6 Buyers

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Apple’s iPhone 6 pre-order date has come and gone which means that both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are now on sale ahead of this week’s iPhone 6 release date. Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus and its huge screen have proved to be immensely popular with consumers though the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is still a top notch smartphone. With the iPhone 6 release in sight, we take a look at some tips that prospective iPhone 6 buyers should keep in mind as we march towards Friday’s release.

Last week, Apple took the stage and announced its brand new iPhone release, a release that actually consists of two new iPhone models. The company’s brand new smartphone is dubbed iPhone 6 but it will be coming in two very different versions: The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. As we now know, the two will take over the flagship role from last year’s iPhone 5s and push the iPhone 5c down to Apple’s free on-contract slot.

iPhone 6 iPhone 6 Plus colors - Space Gray

Apple’s two new iPhones both come with sleek and slim metal designs, A8 processor, upgraded cameras including Optical Image Stabilization on the iPhone 6 Plus, tons of storage options, Retina HD displays, a number of different price points, major U.S. carrier options, and Apple’s new iOS 8 operating system. They have instantly become best sellers with Apple claiming a record number of pre-orders.

Early Friday morning, Apple and its carrier partners starting taking iPhone 6 pre-orders and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders ahead of the iPhone 6 release date on September 19th. Per usual, the iPhone 6 pre-orders produced a chain reaction of events that have pushed shipping times and caused a number of headaches for prospective buyers.

While the iPhone 6 Plus seems to be the pick of the litter this year, Apple’s smaller iPhone 6 has also proven to be popular amongst consumers in the United States and around the world. With that in mind, and an iPhone 6 release at hand, we want to take a look at some key tips for iPhone 6 buyers. These apply to those that have already bought the device and those that are thinking about buying the iPhone 6 in the coming days.

(If you’re looking for buying advice for the iPhone 6 Plus, take a look at our recommendations.)

Keep an Eye on Your Order This Week

If you pre-ordered the iPhone 6 ahead of the iPhone 6 release date this week, be sure to keep an eye on the progress of that order. We’ve already seen shipping notifications start to go out but there are some other reasons to keep a close eye on your order.

iPhone 6 Colors - Advice

It’s possible that the status of your order could change between now and Friday so you’ll want to ensure that everything having to do with shipping and payments goes extremely smoothly. One snag and the whole operation could fall apart. We recommend checking in on the order at least once a day to make sure that everything is progressing nicely.

If something does pop up, call customer service. We expect their lines to be slammed over the next week or so you’ll need to remain patient. Talking to a human is typically much more efficient than dealing with the site itself.

Make iPhone 6 Release Date Arrangements

If you purchased an iPhone 6 already and you’re certain that you’re getting it next Friday, you’ll want to make proper iPhone 6 release date arrangements.

Delivery services will require a signature of some kind in order to make the delivery. In other words, you’ll need to have someone home during the day. For many of you, this won’t be a problem. For others, it will be. Maybe that someone that stays home is you. If it’s not you, you’ll need to make the proper arrangements otherwise your precious cargo will head back on the truck and back to the delivery center.

iPhone 6 Color Options - 6

Of course you should be able to request them to hold it for you at the delivery center for a pickup should you miss out on the delivery but if you don’t get off work until late, your package might not arrive until Saturday or the week after.

Get There Early on Friday

If you haven’t pre-ordered the iPhone 6 yet, we have some key tips for you to keep in mind as we move further away from Apple’s initial iPhone 6 pre-order date.

First, if you’re looking to get the iPhone 6 on its September 19th release date, you have two options. Settle for one of the models that doesn’t have delays or line up with everyone on release day. You should never settle for your next phone so lining up is recommended.

Here's a look at the iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus.

The iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6 are popular phones and there are going to be tons of people looking to pick them up on Friday. We can’t say how many but we should see lines due to the iPhone 6 Plus sell out. In the past, we’ve recommended people show up around 4AM local time in order to get a good spot in line. If you’re picky about which model you want, we’d show up a bit earlier than that to be safe.

This might sound crazy but there are already lines forming for release day. Those lines are at Apple Stores and not carrier stores though we expect lines to occur just about everywhere next Friday.

Check In With Your Local Store

Be sure to check in with your local carrier store, retailer or Apple Store a day or two before this Friday’s iPhone 6 release date. If you head in there on Thursday afternoon and ask about potential stock and the potential for lines outside, you might garner some key information that will help you better prepare for the iPhone 6 release date.

Not all customer service representatives are going to be helpful but if you’re a little worried about not getting the iPhone 6 on Friday, you will want to go in, be friendly, and ask for their advice. They’ll more than likely provide some insight on the lines and more importantly, you could get some information about the kind of stock they have on hand for September 19th. Stock can be extremely uneven so this would be extremely helpful information to have.

iPhone 6 Deals

If you’re looking for a solid iPhone 6 deal, look no further than Walmart. The retailer is going to be offering the 16GB iPhone 6 for just $179 on-contract. That’s not a huge steal but it’s one that you should be aware of as we head deeper into the month and closer to next week’s iPhone 6 release. You will find other iPhone 6 deals but most of them come with a trade-in or a gift card purchase. Walmart’s deal does not.

Don’t Settle

Many of you have waited two years or more for Apple to release a large screen iPhone and there is no reason to settle on release day or at any point in the future. If the store doesn’t have your color or the storage size you want, don’t cave and buy something you don’t want. Wait a few days, weeks or even a month for the model you want to arrive. In the case of the smaller iPhone 6, the delays shouldn’t be too bad because production looks solid right now.

iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 - 11-X3

Stock is always limited at first before Apple ramps up its supply chain and shipping dates start to recede. Be patient and remain calm if we do see a complete sell out on Friday. It’s essential that you get what you want. The iPhone 6 might be cheaper than the iPhone 6 Plus but it’s still on the expensive side of things. Most top of the line Android phones are much less than $199.99 on-contract.

Order the iPhone 6 Now If…

Those of you that have already decided on the iPhone 6 should just get the ordering process out of the way regardless of where stock is right now.

Ordering now is far less painful than having to call around to various stores on a daily basis to check for stock. You can simply order the phone from the comfort of your own home, wait a few days or weeks, get a tracking number and get the iPhone 6 delivered without really doing much of anything. It’s a process that works out quite nicely, it just requires a bit of patience.

It’s possible that shipping times could get worse before they get better so it would be wise to simply put in an order for the iPhone 6 now, just in case Apple Stores and carrier stores don’t get iPhone 6 stock back in as quickly as they’d like.

eBay Premiums Aren’t Worth It

You’re probably going to see a number of iPhone 6 models show up on eBay in the next week or so. Avoid buying the iPhone 6 there. You’ll more than likely be paying a ridiculous premium for a device that’s not seeing the same kind of supply issues that the iPhone 6 Plus is seeing.

Apple will be working hard to get both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus back on track for the holidays and we expect the smaller iPhone 6 stock to improve in October. Once Apple gets it back in stock, shipping times will continue to ease until they are on par with the rest of the iPhone 6 models. At the worst, we anticipate a month long wait for some models but that’s worst case scenario.

iPhone 6 iPhone 6 Plus Photos - 10

For some of you, it may be worth a thousand dollars to get the iPhone 6 on or around the release date. For a majority of you, it will be worth saving the thousand bucks and waiting a few weeks or even days to pay $200 or so.

Check out the iPhone 6 Plus

Finally, we highly recommend taking a look at the other iPhone 6, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. It comes with a larger display that’s perfect for those that love to game, watch a lot of movies and get work done on the phone. It’s also going to be nice for those that either don’t want or can’t afford an iPad Air or an iPad mini. That’s why they call it a “phablet.”

There’s a reason why the iPhone 6 Plus has sold out just about everywhere. It’s an exciting smartphone and for many people, it’s far more exciting than the 4.7-inch model. We suggest taking a look at it before opting for the smaller iPhone 6. If you can, go hands-on with both on Friday before coming to a decision on it.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. maxhedrm

    09/18/2014 at 9:41 pm

    Actually, the more likely reason the iPhone 6 Plus sold out faster is that supplies are more constrained.

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