The best way to get an iPhone 7 at Apple retail stores


At night, likely around midnight, Apple retail stores will make their inventories of iPhones available for reservation on Apple.com. These are phones that are in the local store's inventory, but not pre-sold. So, if you're looking for an iPhone 7, don't bother waiting in line. Just jump online tonight and see what's available. You won't find any Jet Black models, and it's very unlikely you'll find an iPhone 7 Plus in any color or configuration.

After Friday, the same process works for new store inventories. Check at night to see what's available and you can reserve your phone to be picked up during a time window the next day.