What To Expect At The Apple Store When You Pick Up Your New iPhone 6 This Friday
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On Sept. 19, Apple Stores will begin carrying the company's latest phones: the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.There's no doubt it'll be chaotic - some eager customers have been waiting in line outside of Apple's flagship 5th Ave. store in New York City since Sept. 3.
Apple has already mapped out exactly how its retail stores will handle the launch, and 9to5Mac has obtained information on these plans. Here's a quick breakdown of what to expect:
At 5 a.m., Apple specialists will begin interacting with the customers on line and answering any questions. The line will be split into two separate lines: one for those who have preordered the phone and are there for pickup and another for those who haven't.
Then, Apple will send a Reservation Pass placeholder to the phones of walk-in customers. This, according to 9to5Mac, will replace the hard copy tickets that were distributed at previous product launches.
Apple will also hand out refreshments during this time, and the Genius Bar will be out of service until most of the inventory is out of stock. Here's a look at the document sent to Apple employees that 9to5Mac recently published:
At 8 a.m., customers will be paired with a specialist to get the purchase process moving. First, the specialist will either confirm the number on the walk-in customer's Reservation Pass or scan the Ready for Pickup barcode for those who have preordered. Once that is finished, the Apple employee will escort the customer to the Genius Bar to pick up his or her iPhone.The specialist will then ask the customer if her or she wants a personal setup, which is a quick process to help get your iPhone up and running (i.e. syncing it with your iTunes account, transferring contacts, etc.).
That's essentially the whole process, and it doesn't seem entirely different from years past, besides being a bit more organized. Still, expect long, winding lines at your local Apple Store all week.