Apple's new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus arrive in the United States on September 22, but you can fork over your hard-earned cash for one right now!
Here are the various ways you can buy the iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus.
Not in the U.S? Here's how to order iPhone 8 or 8 Plus in the U.K., and Canada.
First: Check your upgrade eligibility and pricing
Before you do anything else, you'll want to check the state of your current wireless contract, as that will dictate how much you'll pay for your shiny new iPhone 8 or 8 Plus. If you're on any of Apple's major partner carriers, you can check your eligibility right on the company's website: It then stores this information for ordering time.
If you don't have a carrier plan currently, or aren't sure what your various options are, I'd also advise reading our carrier guides:
- Which U.S. iPhone carrier and plan should you get?
- Which Canadian iPhone carrier and plan should you get?
- Which U.K. iPhone carrier and plan should you get?
Second: Should I have my iPhone mailed to me or pick it up in-store?
This largely depends on how quickly you want your iPhone, whether you want to drive anywhere, whether your carrier plan's billing address matches your current address, and if you plan to trade in your old iPhone.
If you choose to have your iPhone order mailed to you, you're at the whim of your local UPS or FedEx drivers. If your driver regularly comes at 8AM, you may get your iPhone earlier than the crowd; if your house or apartment doesn't usually get deliveries until 8PM, you may feel a little FOMO.
In addition, picking up in store is often the only way students or kids on their parents' plan can get their device on day one: Due to certain carrier rules, you may be required to ship the phone to the billing address on file—which may not be your current address.
There's also the trade-in route to consider: Currently, if you want to trade in your old device for Apple's $10/month iPhone 5s to SE program, you have to do this in-store. No ordering online for you.
The best way to order: The Apple Store app
If you want to avoid the rush, you can make your current iPhone be the cause of its own eventual resale-or-drawer-dom demise by ordering via the Apple Store app. This is my preferred method, in large part because the app is quick, easy, requires very little effort on your part, and best of all — you can use Apple Pay.
It might be a little mean to make your current iPhone buy your new one, but hey — all's fair in love and ordering.
- Apple Store app - Download now
If you want to use a computer: Apple.com
If you have a partner carrier plan in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world, you can order your iPhone 8 or 8 Plus on Apple.com.
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus - Order here
If you need to: Go through your carrier
While I've personally had little luck going through AT&T's store in a timely manner, I know some people swear by carrier websites for fast ordering. Most carriers will offer an online ordering process, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile, as well as international carriers.
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus at T-Mobile
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus at Verizon
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus at AT&T
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus at Sprint
Like the Apple Store app and Apple.com, many of the carriers often offer "pre-registration," which lets you pre-enter your carrier details to speed up the process of acquiring a new phone.
If all else fails: Check the other big box stores
If Apple and the carrier websites aren't doing it for you — or you want to support big-box stores—you can order your very own iPhone 8 or 8 Plus on one of the websites for the electronics store of your choice. Best Buy, Walmart, and Target usually offer online order sales, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were other stores with the same options; if you want to try ordering someplace I haven't listed, your best bet is to check the company's website first to make sure the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are available.
Questions?
Are you picking up a new iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus? Have other questions about the order process? Let us know below.
