iPhone Duo Get Ready: how to prepare for Oct 16 preorders
Apple opens "Get Ready" for the iPhone Duo on Monday, October 12, four days before preorders start. Apple's own iPhone Duo store page says: "Come back on 10.12 to get ready for pre-order. Pre-order starting at 5:00 am PT on 10.16. Available starting 10.23." Here is what Get Ready is, what to set up and the mistakes to avoid.
- Get Ready opens: Monday, October 12, in the Apple Store app and on Apple's online store
- Preorders: Friday, October 16, 5 a.m. PT (12:00 UTC). Local time in every country
- On sale: Friday, October 23 (28 more countries on October 30)
What Get Ready does
It lets you build your order in advance so that, when preorders open, one tap finishes it. According to MacRumors, you can choose:
- color and storage
- your carrier status
- accessories
- an AppleCare+ plan
- a trade-in
- a payment method, and shipping and billing addresses
It is not a reservation. MacDailyNews reports that you still need to finish the order on October 16 and that Get Ready does not hold a phone for you. Supply is expected to be tight, so being fast on the day matters.
Your checklist before October 12
- Check your Apple Account. Make sure your payment card has not expired, the billing address matches the card, and the shipping address is where you want the phone sent.
- Choose your model. US prices: 256GB $1,999, 512GB $2,199, 1TB $2,599, 2TB $3,199, in Star White or Night Sky. See the price in 40 countries.
- Check your SIM. iPhone Duo is eSIM only, according to Apple's spec page, so your carrier must support eSIM (how to set up the eSIM). In the US, Apple's store lists AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon versions as well as "connect on your own later".
- Get a trade-in quote early. A quote adds screens to checkout. Apple needs your old phone within 14 days (15 in Canada) of receiving the new one, and that clock starts when the Duo arrives, MacRumors says.
- Pick accessories. The iPhone Duo Case costs $79 (navy blue or sand) and the iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand $129 (navy blue or taupe). Apple says both can be ordered from October 16.
On the morning of October 16
MacRumors' tips for getting one are worth following:
- Open the Apple Store app a few minutes early with your saved order on screen, and keep Apple's website open on another device. The store may open a little after the advertised second.
- Do not change your configuration at checkout. Every change can re-check stock, and your color may sell out.
- Choose in-store pickup if it is offered. Pickup stock may be separate from delivery stock.
- Consider walking in on October 23. Some stores may hold units for launch day, but do not count on it.
Outside the US
Apple's US store and app are where Get Ready has been confirmed. Other countries' stores carry the same preorder date but show their own local times, so open your own country's Apple Store app on October 12 and look for the same option.
Sources
- Apple: iPhone Duo store page and Apple Newsroom (prices, cases, dates)
- MacRumors: You can 'Get Ready' for iPhone Duo preorders on October 12 and iPhone Duo: be first in line with these 8 tips
- MacDailyNews: Get Ready for iPhone Duo starts October 12th
