Even though AirPods Pro are basically sold out everywhere, there’s still a chance you could snag a pair today. And with a simple Siri trick, Apple makes it easy for you to snag 2019’s hottest gift.
If you absolutely want to get AirPods Pro by Christmas, and don’t want to pay a reseller a premium, here’s your best shot for finding a pair ASAP.
If you’re reading this post, you want your AirPods Pro — and you want them now. Maybe you’re going on a holiday vacation and want to take advantage of the wireless earphones’ noise-cancellation feature. Or maybe you’ve got a special person on your gift list who really wants a pair. (Loads of people do, you know.)
We warned you not to wait. But if you’re a procrastinator, and you don’t want to pay an AirPods Pro scalper extra, it’s time to make your move. Here’s how to take your best shot at winning the holiday shopping season.
How to get AirPods Pro today
While Apple’s website currently shows AirPods Pro as shipping on January 10, there’s a decent chance you can pull off a Christmas miracle by picking up a pair at your local Apple Store. (Obviously this gambit makes more sense for people who live close to one or more Apple stores.) The key is to check AirPods Pro availability at stores near you at various times throughout the day. Surprisingly, the stock can change as, presumably, stores receive new shipments and make them available to the public.
There’s no way to be certain, but anecdotally, this seems more likely to happen at big flagship Apple stores. In my completely random checks, I spotted AirPods Pro ready for pickup today at stores in Miami, Chicago and San Francisco.
Early this morning, I checked for AirPods Pro availability in San Francisco. At 7 a.m., all the stores in the area showed no stock would be available for pickup until December 20. (Shipping times stayed at that Grinch-y January 10 date.) However, by 1 p.m. or so, AirPods Pro showed up as available for pickup today at Apple Union Square. Our fearless leader, Leander Kahney, grabbed a pair this way this afternoon.
Check availability early and often
You can check AirPods Pro availability on Apple’s website, but using the Apple Store app is easier. Just download the free Apple Store app, then search for AirPods Pro. Scroll down to the store locations and, if your nearest store shows a future pickup date, tap See more stores. If you’re lucky, you will see “Available: Today” in exciting green text next to one or more locations.
If not, it’s time for a Hail Mary. Scroll to the bottom of that page and click the Add to Siri button. On the next screen, click Add to Siri again to confirm.
Then, whenever you think of it, you can simply say, “Hey Siri check product availability.” Apple’s AI assistant will immediately deliver up-to-date info on whether a local Apple store has AirPods Pro in stock. Ideally, you will check several times as the day progresses.
If you strike gold, don’t wait around. Pull the trigger and buy those in-demand earbuds before the day’s supply sells out. (If you’ve got an Apple Card, be sure to use it and get double cash back. And get that free engraving if you’re into it.) Then, after Apple tells you your shipment is ready, go in to the store and pick up your AirPods Pro.
Good hunting!
P.S. Best Buy keeps adding refurbished AirPods Pro to its inventory (and selling out). These are likely just open-box returns, and they are available for shipping only.
Currently, free shipping gets them to your house by December 23. So, if you don’t mind the idea that the AirPods Pro slid into somebody else’s ears for a bit, this could work for you. And you’ll save $5.
