Iphone 5S Not Available In Store

[Anonymous]

Hi, I was planning to upgrade to the new iPhone 5S at my local O2 store on Friday 20th September 2013. However, when I called in there today I was informed that they would not have the phone in store to buy on the date of release. Instead I would only be able to place an order for it. I've also noticed that the iphone 5S page on the Apple website has changed. It used to say that it was available to buy in the Apple Store or in one of the network stores on the day of release. It only mentions now that it is available to order from the 20th September 2013 and there is no mention of buying it in store on that date. It also has no mention of buying it in one of the network stores. Has the phone been delayed? Why is it not available to purchase in store on the date of release?

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I spoke to support and have been told that eligible upgrades will be able to get them in store on the 20th...

Dave

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Happy days then    

[Rycal]

The 5c will be available in store on the 20th, the 5s will be available to preorder. This could change if stock becomes available but as things stand a launch on the 20th is unlikely.

[Anonymous]

i read somewhere that the 5s pre orders are available from 12.01am on the 20th & instore from 8.00am on the 20th

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

i read somewhere that the 5s pre orders are available from 12.01am on the 20th & instore from 8.00am on the 20th

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There's not many customers that will walk into an o2 / CPW or Apple Store at 8am and walk out with any of the configurations available for the iPhone 5s, if experience and past launches dictate. 

[Anonymous]

I had further confirmation today from the manager of O2 store in Dunfermline that the 5S will not be available in O2 stores on Friday 20th, but for order only. Apparently they received the notification from head office late on Friday afternoon. I wasn't able to tell if this only applied to smaller stores or all stores though...

This doesn't tally with any previous iPhone launch experience I've had, and I've been through them all since the iPhone 3G!

Apple still claiming to have them in Apple stores for Friday morning, but will they have them on O2 Refresh tariffs?

[Anonymous]

Apple will have unlocked handsets & some handsets locked to all networks

[Anonymous]

Not sure how much truth there is in it, but I can remember reading a while back that when iPhone's are in high demand and the stock is low, they will stock their own stores/website before sending stock to phone shops. Like I said earlier, I don't know how much truth there is in it.

[Rycal]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I had further confirmation today from the manager of O2 store in Dunfermline that the 5S will not be available in O2 stores on Friday 20th, but for order only. Apparently they received the notification from head office late on Friday afternoon. I wasn't able to tell if this only applied to smaller stores or all stores though...

This doesn't tally with any previous iPhone launch experience I've had, and I've been through them all since the iPhone 3G!

Apple still claiming to have them in Apple stores for Friday morning, but will they have them on O2 Refresh tariffs?

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It applies to all stores. Customers can pre order on Friday and they will receive confirmation on when they can expect to receive their iPhone within a few weeks. If could be up to 2 months before full stock hits stores.

[Anonymous]

Sorry but I'm not sure that's right, I went in my local O2 store and was told the handset would be available on 20th. They did mention that stock would be limited but there was no mention that it would be purely a pre-order.

[Anonymous]

my local stores have said that they are expecting to have stock in for Friday but will only be for existing customers who wish to upgrade to o2 refresh.