iPhone 18 launch: how it works in our store
Whenever the Apple CEO touts the newest iPhone as «the best ever» in his keynote, our customers want to get their hands on it as soon as possible. The days leading up to and following an announcement are particularly challenging for our teams.
It doesn’t really matter what «groundbreaking» new feature Apple announces for an iPhone. Whether it’s a USB-C port or a fabulous new shade of dark-matt grey, some customers want to get their hands on the latest generation of the iPhone as soon as possible. Apple has announced that this year’s keynote will take place on Wednesday, 9 September. It starts at 7 p.m. Swiss time. Pre-orders are usually available shortly thereafter. We expect those to go live on Friday at 2 p.m. At least, that would be consistent with the pattern over previous years.
The pre-order phase that begins then is particularly important for iPhones. In recent years, about seven per cent of all orders made in our shop were placed in the days leading up to the smartphone’s official launch, as Sebastian Haut, the Category Business Manager in charge, told me. «No other product has a rate this high.»
So, Apple still manages to generate hype, even in the 20th year of the iPhone era. At least people don’t camp out in front of Apple Stores for days on end any more. Ordering online is more convenient.
Plan and order the right quantity – as quickly as possible
For our buyers, the days between an Apple Keynote and the first shipments are particularly challenging. They, too, only find out through the show which devices are coming out of the product pipeline in Cupertino. Work begins right after that: for each product and each variant, the teams craft a detailed quantity plan. In less than 24 hours, it’s ready and handed over to distributors, who organise the shipment of goods on Apple’s behalf. At the same time, the products are listed in our store, their details and images are uploaded and links to new, matching accessories are added.
After that, it’s a waiting game. Suppliers report once a week on the actual quantities of each iPhone model that’ll be delivered. And there are indicators for each three-week period in advance. «However, these are subject to change at any time and aren’t binding,» says Sebastian. «We won’t know what’s actually coming until it’s been shipped by the distributor.»
Hot items in our warehouse
There are still a few days between the date pre-orders become available and the official launch. In recent years, it was about one week. This year, 18 September could be the decisive day.
Usually, the first iPhones arrive at our warehouse the day before they go on sale. They’re classed as hot items, and it’s essential to ensure no one gets their hands on a device before the official launch.
Delivery dates in our store
If you placed an order for your iPhone 18 very early in the pre-order period, there’s a good chance you’ll receive your device on day one of sales or will be able to pick it up in store. We’ll ship the new iPhones on a first-come, first-served basis.
Still, we unfortunately can’t offer guarantees here. In recent years, very few units of certain models were available at launch. In some cases, a resupply didn’t arrive until several weeks later. In our online shop, we try to provide the most accurate information possible regarding availability and delivery dates. When in doubt, we’d rather be honest than overly optimistic, since we want to avoid unnecessary disappointment.
You can check the current status of your order with Galaxus and Digitec at any time in your customer account. And I’ll update this article as soon as we receive new information on the delivery situation and availability.
Journalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
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