If you want an iPhone 14 Pro this Christmas, these are your best options
Many people buy a new iPhone around the end of the year, for themselves or to give as a gift. This year, the iPhone 14 Pro (regular or Max) is the model of choice; customers For real wants that always-on display and Dynamic Island, not to mention the improved camera.
But it can’t be found either. A few weeks ago, Apple issued a delivery warning, and just about every model — every color and storage capacity — has shipping estimates through the end of December. And good luck finding one at Best Buy or a carrier store. So as Christmas approaches, what should you do? Let’s talk about your options.
Just buy the regular iPhone 14
We’re not going to lie and say you’ll be just as happy with the iPhone 14 as you were with the iPhone 14 Pro. You don’t get an always-on display or ProMotion. You don’t get the Dynamic Island. You don’t get a telephoto camera or a wide-angle camera with a 48 MP sensor (compared to 12 MP on the non-Pro model). There’s a reason that despite costing a few hundred dollars more, it’s the most popular model this year.
But the iPhone 14 is certainly not a bad phone. It’s a relatively minor upgrade over the iPhone 13, but it’s fast (much faster than any Android phone) and has an excellent camera and fantastic battery life. If you’re upgrading from an iPhone that’s more than a few years old, it’s still going to be a huge improvement (especially battery life). And you save hundreds of dollars over the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max! If you (or the person you’re gifting it to) really need a new iPhone, you’ll probably be really impressed with how much better the iPhone 14 is than your old one.
Visit your local Apple Store early and often
It’s a bit of a gamble, but your local Apple Store gets new shipments of iPhone 14 models every day. There’s no guarantee it will have iPhone 14 Pros in it or that you’ll be able to get the specific color or capacity you want, but if you get close to the opening you might be in luck. Based on shipping estimates, Apple’s supply problems are abating, and since there are still a few weeks left before Christmas, it’s probably your best bet to discover that’s not the case.
Order one online and hope
No one wants to order a new iPhone and only receive it for more than a month. And if you’re buying it as a gift, wrapping an empty box that says “iPhone 14 Pro coming soon” isn’t as celebratory as you might hope, but the recipient will understand: everyone else is in the same boat.
But it will be fine! It’s just an iPhone, it’s not an emergency. Supply shortages are bad, but nobody will be blamed you for them. Just place your order and wait patiently for your new iPhone 14 Pro to arrive, perhaps in the new year. And who knows, maybe you’ll get a Christmas miracle and it will arrive in time to wrap up and put under the tree.
Wait for the iPhone 15
Do you For real do you need a new top-of-the-line iPhone right now? I mean, really? Sure, your iPhone 12 Pro doesn’t do all the great things the iPhone 14 Pro does, but it’s only two years old. To be fine.
Why not wait a year and buy an even better phone? We’re not sure what features the iPhone 15 Pro will have, but it’s almost certain that it will be faster, with a better camera system, likely to have USB-C and may even have a titanium body. You don’t want to buy an iPhone 14 Pro and then turn around and buy an iPhone 15 Pro a year later, do you?
Instead, maybe consider an iPhone accessory that works with your current and future iPhone. The 2nd generation AirPods Pro are great and already on sale for $200. And do you already have an Apple Watch? (Those are also for sale.)
Do not buy from scalpers!
With such a hot-tech item now scarce, the scalpers are already reselling them at prices hundreds of dollars higher than retail prices. It’s only going to get worse as we head into December. It can be tempting to just pay to get what you want, but all this does is create demand that causes the scalpers to buy up all the inventory and charge too much for it. And it’s easy to get scammed! Just be strong and say no to the scalpers.
