The Ins and Outs of Preordering the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus

If you’re part of Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program and are eligible for an upgrade, you can get a jump start on the preorder process right now, until 4 p.m. Pacific time. That’s thanks to a new pre-approval process that Apple implemented for this round of new iPhone releases.

Let’s just quickly rehash what it means under the iPhone Upgrade Program to be eligible for a new device. You must have already made 12 payments towards your existing device.

If you’re upgrading through your cellular carrier, you should call it, go to one of its retail locations, or go to its website to confirm whether or not you are eligible for an upgrade before preorders begin.

For the rest of us, preorders kick off at 12:01 a.m. Pacific time on Friday, September 15. Those of us on the east coast of the United States have to either get up early or stay awake late to get in the game.

The preorder process for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus is entirely done online. Even so, you have several options.

You can preorder using Apple’s online store from your computer, or using the Apple Store app on your iPhone. Judging from past experiences, the Apple Store app has historically been the fastest and easiest method for most customers.

If you prefer, you can also preorder directly from your cellular carrier. The four major providers, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon each have their own portals for preordering the iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus.

The iPhone 8 starts at US $699 for the 64GB model, or $849 for a 256GB version. If you prefer the 8 Plus, it will retail for $799 with 64GB of storage, or $949 for a fully maxed-out model with 256GB of space.

If you prefer to finance your purchase, the iPhone 8 is available directly from Apple with monthly payments starting at $34.50. For the iPhone 8 Plus, financing begins at $39.50 each month.

For a thorough breakdown of financing costs and whether that’s the right answer for you, take a read through Bryan Wolfe’s analysis.

Preorders begin at 12:01 a.m. Pacific time, but that doesn’t mean you get your shiny new iPhone 8 then. The first deliveries will go out a week later, on Friday, September 22. When you receive yours depends on what shipping option you select, and how early you are in the preorder time.

We can’t really guess how many people will be preordering the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus. Business Insider has noted that the iPhone 6 is currently the most active model of Apple’s handset. How many of those owners will opt for the iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus instead of waiting for the iPhone X remains to be seen. My recommendation is, and has always been, get your preorder completed as quickly as possible after the virtual lines open.