The iPhone X is the hottest phone you can buy right now. If you can find it in stores, that is. With Apple struggling to meet demand, you shouldn’t necessarily expect huge iPhone X deals this Black Friday. But iPhone X shipping estimates have already started to improve, so you should definitely end up getting yours in time for Christmas.
The best way to buy an iPhone X right now is to stalk your local Apple store and score a reservation or pickup order. Apple keeps bringing more stock to its retail locations each day, which means you might get lucky, especially if you’re using an online tool to help out with the search. One other alternative is checking with carriers, which may also have limited stock on hand. You could get one from resellers, but be ready to pay a premium on top of the iPhone’s already high price.
If you’re waiting for good Black Friday iPhone X deals, you might not like what I’m about to tell you. Chances are there won’t be any significant iPhone X sales, except for what carriers already offer. All the Black Friday ads that matter to tech fans have already leaked or have been officially released, and none of them include iPhone X deals.
In previous years, many retailers would discount the latest iPhone on Black Friday, making it more affordable for a short period of time. And those deals were usually included in their leaked flyers. This time around, the same retailers only have iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus deals planned. Technically, they’re doing the same thing, offering the latest iPhone for a lower price. But the best new iPhone that Apple launched this year isn’t getting any promos in the ads that we’ve seen so far. iPhone X stock issues are probably to blame.
Apple, meanwhile, has yet to announce its own sale plans for Black Friday 2017, and the same goes for the major US carriers. The best deals on Apple gear rarely come directly from Apple on Black Friday, however.
If you’re happy waiting for Apple to ship the iPhone X to your door, the good news is that you might get it in time for Christmas. Ordering online right now from Apple’s US store means you have to wait 2-3 weeks for the delivery — an update that only happened today. Over in Europe, shipping estimates have dropped to 2-3 weeks, MacRumors reports. Customers in markets including UK and France who order the iPhone X online will receive it by the end of November. Based on the historical trend, delivery estimates should keep improving as we get closer to the end of the year, and Apple keeps improving production quantities of the phone.
But again, your best bet to score an iPhone X right away is to keep checking inventory at the nearest Apple stores.
