Forgot to Pre-Order Your iPhone 13 or 13 Pro? Apple Store Pickup Remains an Option for Launch Day

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro pre-orders began last Friday at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and soon after, shipping estimates for select models began slipping to late September or early October for some models.

If you weren't prepared to get up at an early hour or you haven't got round to pre-ordering for another reason, there's still a chance to get an ‌iPhone 13‌ mini, ‌iPhone 13‌, ‌iPhone 13 Pro‌, or ‌iPhone 13 Pro‌ Max in your hands when they launch on Friday.

In the United States and other countries that have Apple retail stores, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, many ‌iPhone 13‌ models are still available for in-store pickup on Friday, September 24.

Even if a particular iPhone model isn't estimated to be delivered on launch day, it's still possible to reserve some versions for in-store pickup.

An ‌iPhone 13 Pro‌ in Silver with 128GB of storage, for example, is currently estimated to ship in 4-5 weeks on Apple's online store. However, the device is available for pickup on September 24 at multiple retail stores in several countries.

Once you proceed to the checkout and click the blue "Checkout" button, select "I'll pick it up," then choose a store location, pickup date, and an available 15-minute check-in window from the options.

If you will be picking up the ‌iPhone‌ personally, enter your phone number. If someone else will be arranging the pickup, enter his or her contact information. The person making the pickup must be carrying a valid photo ID.

Then, proceed with the checkout process as usual. Once payment has been made, wait until you receive a pickup notification email or text message by September 24 before picking up the ‌iPhone‌. If you don't receive one, call the store.

Since the ‌iPhone‌ is paid for ahead of time, the store will hold the device in its back room until you arrive. Your order will be held for 14 days.

Of course, another option is to simply wait until Friday and walk into an Apple store, preferably right when they open. You may have to wait in line, but the queues have typically been shorter in recent years. Note that temperature checks and face masks may be required.

You can use the pickup tool on Apple's website on launch day to check if stores in your local area have stock, or call the store directly.

All in all, there are still a few days to ensure you get your new ‌iPhone‌ on launch day, even if you missed the pre-order rush. Just make sure to select which color, storage, and carrier combinations are still available for pick-up by September 24.