Apple says to line up early at stores if you want an iPhone X (AAPL)

apple store line

The iPhone X hits store shelves on November 3.
It looks like the $999 iPhone will be hard to find as Apple can't make enough to meet demand, according to reports.
Some iPhone X units will be reserved for walk-ins without preorders at Apple stores — and Apple is encouraging customers to "arrive early."

Want an iPhone X, the $999 iPhone that will be nearly impossible to find this holiday season?

Apple says you'll be able to score one by lining up outside an Apple Store on November 3.

Apple confirmed on Tuesday in a press release that stores will have stock for the first walk-ins that want to buy an iPhone X.

They go on sale at 8:00 a.m. local time — but you'll need to line up early, Apple warns.

From the press release:

"iPhone X will be available in more than 55 countries and territories, and in Apple Stores beginning Friday, November 3 at 8:00 a.m. local time. Stores will have iPhone X available for walk-in customers, who are encouraged to arrive early."

The other primary way to nab an iPhone X will be to wake up on Friday, October 27 in the middle of the night to pre-order one.

Apple says that the iPhone X will go up for pre-orders at 12:01 Pacific Time on Friday.

However, neither of these ways to buy the $999 iPhone will be foolproof, mainly because it sounds as if Apple will have trouble meeting demand.

Nikkei reported on Tuesday that Apple had would only be able to manufacture 20 million iPhone X initially, about half of what it had originally planned to produce this year. KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo also predicted in a report last week that he expected only 2-3 million iPhone X units would be shipped before launch on November 3.

When Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked about the production issues, he replied: "We'll see what happens."

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