Here's how to preorder an iPhone 7 ahead of its Sept. 16 release

Impact

The iPhone 7 — oh, you've heard of it? — was officially announced on Wednesday, and tech fanatics are already itching to get their hands on Apple's latest release.

But, as fans of the technology giant probably remember, the company's last iPhone releases, the 6 and 6s, sold out at lightning speeds worldwide well before their September 25, 2014 debut. 

To make matters worse, Apple makes it notoriously tricky to catch the window for preorder sales. As Refinery29 reported, 2015 preorders began at 12:01 a.m. and lasted until 3 a.m., giving customers just enough time to sleep through their alarms before realizing that they'd missed their coveted chance to order in advance. 

So, what's a diehard iPhone lover to do?

1. Be prepared

For starters, make sure all of your account details are all squared away. Do you have your Apple ID password on hand? Have you checked to make sure you're eligible for an upgrade in the first place?

Squaring away the basics before you preorder can help to save you the mad scramble of trying to re-key in your credit card number after you realize that the one linked to your Apple account has expired.

2. Go mobile

Next, download the Apple Store app. Apple's desktop site is likely to be overwhelmed when preorders go live, and the app will work just as well.

3. Pick your phone ahead of time

Finally, have your iPhone 7 order locked down well in advance of placing your preorder. Knowing that you want the 256GB version in "piano black" ahead of checkout will save you precious time as you digitally stiff-arm your competition in the race to place your order.

At the keynote event, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the iPhone 7 and 7s will both be available for preorder on Friday, September 9, and will officially hit stores the week after, on September 16.

So, with all of that in mind, all you'll have left to do is cross your fingers and pray that the millions of other iPhone lovers jockeying to buy the 7 and 7 Plus don't hit "place order" before you do. Godspeed.