Today is the day millions of people worldwide have been waiting for. No, it’s not judgement day, it’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus release day. And if you walk past your local Apple or carrier store, you’re likely to see hordes of disappointed people because they failed to preorder and the iPhone 7 Plus is probably sold out!
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus launch day
As I type this, the above scenario is being played out in 28 different countries around the world: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UAE, the U.K., and the U.S.
Now to be clear, if you preordered your shiny new iPhone 7 Plus or 7 for in store pick-up, it will be there waiting for you as long as you have received an email telling you it is available. If you didn’t manage to preorder one, your only option is to go on the hunt. However, it’s possible the 7 Plus is sold out due to preorder numbers, so you may have to get the smaller 4.7-inch 7 instead.
Get an iPhone 7 Plus from a carrier
Here’s a secret most people don’t know about. It may be possible for you to get an iPhone 7 Plus from a carrier store. There’s still a chance that some have some available for walk-in customers. Just keep in mind that the chances of you finding a jet black iPhone 7 Plus are still small. You will have had to have preordered that. But some carriers may still have limited supplies of the black, silver, gold, and rose gold iPhone 7 Plus.
Check Apple Store availability
This could be the most useful piece of advice so far. Here’s how you can find out which Apple Stores have the iPhone 7 Plus in stock. To check availability, go to apple.com, and select “availability.” Next, choose the iPhone you want, for example, the iPhone 7 Plus. Next, select your carrier, and then color, capacity, etc.
You will then be given the option to choose a delivery date or check in store for availability. It is this availability option which will tell you if the iPhone 7 Plus is available in stores near to you. Alternatively, you can use the Apple Store app to check for availability. The app is self-explanatory, so go get it.
Call every store
One tried and tested way to get your hands on an iPhone 7 Plus is to call all your local stores. If the answer is yes, you need to get to that store ASAP. Of course one way to have made sure was to have gotten in line with the rest.
Check with authorized independent dealers
Another way to try to get an iPhone 7 Plus is via an authorized dealer. While most people will have first tried via Apple and then mobile carriers, many will overlook smaller retailers. So it is worth giving them a try even if it’s your last resort.
Amazon may be able to help
If you’re looking for value, then Amazon certainly isn’t the place you should be looking. However, if you’re desperate to get your hands on an iPhone 7 Plus and have money to spare, it could be your last and only option even though the price is likely to be hiked up.
Wait in line
Depending on where you are in the world, it could be a little late in the day. However, you could still jump back into the Apple queue and try to wait it out. I realize this is taking a huge risk, especially if you didn’t preorder one, but you could still phone around while in the line.
