AT&T Eligibility at Apple Stores, International iPhone 3G Shortages Expected

[MacRumors]

AppleInsider provides some additional notes about the iPhone 3G launch on Friday at U.S. Apple Retail stores and provides some clarity to one purchasing scenario.

According to their sources, current non-iPhone AT&T customers can go to Apple Retail stores and purchase the iPhone 3G and will be billed appropriately. The confusion arose from the subsidy surrounding the iPhone 3G and whether or not Apple would be able to tell if current AT&T customers "qualified" for the lower pricing. Existing iPhone customers and individuals new to AT&T automatically qualify for the $199/$299 subsidized iPhone 3G pricing. However, individuals who are current AT&T customers but do not own an iPhone must be "upgrade eligible" to purchase at the discounted prices. AT&T has posted walkthrough videos that explains different scenarios.

Apparently, Apple's checkout system does access AT&T's database, but only at time of checkout. So if you are unsure of your upgrade eligibility, you should contact AT&T or log into your online account to check. As a result, the only group of individuals who need to specifically go to the AT&T stores are business/corporate customers.

Meanwhile, customers in Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. may see short supplies of the iPhone 3G. Smarthouse.com.au claims that the first iPhone 3G shipments to those carriers will be less than 25,000 units each. The stock is described by one executive as "next to nothing" with expectations that they will be "snapped up within minutes."

Similarly, the U.K.'s O2 expects only "a couple of dozen" iPhones for each of their O2 and Carphone Warehouse locations on launch day. In fact, no stock at all of the white 16GB iPhone is expected in the U.K. at first.

Other Notes about the iPhone 3G and Launch:

- "Push" has been turned on in .Mac/Me.com and now works for those who have iPhone 2.0 firmware.
- The iPhone 3G OS build (5A345) is the same as the 2.0 Beta 8 Firmware in the hands of developers
- 5th Avenue Apple Store will close at midnight July 10th and reopen at 8am July 11th.
- First guy is in line in New Zealand
- New Zealand customers are unhappy about pricing plans from Vodafone. (Petition)
- Mexico rate plans also came out. Customers there are also quite unhappy.
- Australia: Optus World store at 280 George Street Sydney will open 12.00am on July 11.
- Australia: Vodafone briefly posted their rate plans but then pulled them down.
- Meetup with other MacRumors readers.

Article Link

 

[JosephEsquivel]

I wonder what apple thinks of all these dissatisfied customers

 

[CWallace]

Once I read the fine-print I realized that as an existing iPhone customer, I was "good to go" with the 3G unit.

I likely will skip this weekend (might visit the Bellevue Square, WA store on Sunday when I take some stuff back to Macy's) and try and snag one during the following week or two.

 

[speedbumpnv]

clarity on if Apple Stores will be able to see "authorized users" and if they will allow them to upgrade would be nice. i would rather go to an Apple Store to do so. but i would also like to know ahead of time if i am going to be wasting my time.

 

[kennycheng93]

Phone 3G

There won't be lots of iPhone in stock the first few weeks but everybody will be able to get one after few weeks.

 

[iJesus]

Quick question.

I'm 17 and I'm on a family plan with 3 other people (who are in my family ) and I was wondering if I could go to the Apple store myself and by the new iPhone without having to take my dad (primary account holder). Does anyone have a clue? I know that I read somewhere that AT&T said that if an iPhone is going to be purchased for a family plan, the person getting the phone must be in line.




I really want to go by myself (since I hope to make a date out of it with a special someone )

 

[noodle654]

How about stock in the US? I am going to be at my ATT store at 8 so hopefully I can get one.

 

[marcre]

Quick question.

I'm 17 and I'm on a family plan with 3 other people (who are in my family ) and I was wondering if I could go to the Apple store myself and by the new iPhone without having to take my dad (primary account holder). Does anyone have a clue? I know that I read somewhere that AT&T said that if an iPhone is going to be purchased for a family plan, the person getting the phone must be in line.




I really want to go by myself (since I hope to make a date out of it with a special someone )

You need a credit card in your name.

 

[Gregintosh]

I bet a debit card would work too. Unless you are dating another gadget geek I doubt going to the Apple store to buy yourself an iPhone will be very romantic (for the other person, anyway).

Anyways, I wonder if a software update will be necessary for Push to work with Mac OS X (I think it will be...) and when will we be able to upgrade our iPod Touches to the new firmware...

 

[iJesus]

I bet a debit card would work too. Unless you are dating another gadget geek I doubt going to the Apple store to buy yourself an iPhone will be very romantic (for the other person, anyway).

Anyways, I wonder if a software update will be necessary for Push to work with Mac OS X (I think it will be...) and when will we be able to upgrade our iPod Touches to the new firmware...

I have one, with enough money when I go to the bank tomorrow to make a quick deposit. haha.

I bet a debit card would work too. Unless you are dating another gadget geek I doubt going to the Apple store to buy yourself an iPhone will be very romantic (for the other person, anyway).

Anyways, I wonder if a software update will be necessary for Push to work with Mac OS X (I think it will be...) and when will we be able to upgrade our iPod Touches to the new firmware...

Haha, they're a HUGE gadget geek.

 

[furious]

The iPhone 3g has been in production since the first weeks of March. I see no reason for a world wide shortage. I estimate about 5 million phones have been produced. For 22 countries that should be ample. Even if less were produced I see no reason for shortages.

 

[gcmexico]

I have such a bad feeling that they will be sold out before I get to the store at 6:00pm!

 

[ivnds]

Mexican plans are really bad, 79dlls a month and still no unlimited data?! unlimited data is 60dlls a month more, extreme!

At least they give you the iphone for 79dlls on that plan. gosh I was hoping due to the closeness of the border I could get it cheaper than ATT, no go.

 

[syklee26]

chances are that Korea will have by far the best rates. Apple and SK Telecom can't compete if they give garbage rates to Koreans.

Korea has amazing cell phone rates. You can use hours of international call and still come out less than $100. if you don't use international call, you almost never pay more than $35.

 

[marcre]

I bet a debit card would work too. Unless you are dating another gadget geek I doubt going to the Apple store to buy yourself an iPhone will be very romantic (for the other person, anyway).

Yes, a debit card will work too. My bad, I always lump them into the same category(credit card).

 

[winmacguy]

Speaking of frustrated Vodafone NZ customers, the NZ Herald has over 16 pages of pricing complaints on their web site
http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/yo...u-think-vodafones-iphone-pricing-plan/?c_id=5

 

[theheadguy]

I'm 17 and I'm on a family plan with 3 other people (who are in my family ) and I was wondering if I could go to the Apple store myself and by the new iPhone without having to take my dad (primary account holder). Does anyone have a clue? I know that I read somewhere that AT&T said that if an iPhone is going to be purchased for a family plan, the person getting the phone must be in line.

Ask your dad to call ATT and add you as a person authorized to make changes to the account. I don't think they are making existing customers show credit cards; that is sort of pointless.

I really want to go by myself (since I hope to make a date out of it with a special someone )

Good luck. :thumbs up: (;

 

[Ibjr]

I have one, with enough money when I go to the bank tomorrow to make a quick deposit. haha.

Haha, they're a HUGE gadget geek.

You're 17 and dating more than one person?

They're isn't gender neutral for a singular person, it refers to more than one person.

 

[Skylor]

- The shipping iPhone 3G Firmware build (5A345) is the same as the 2.0 Beta 8 Firmware in the hands of developers

I'm so surprised by this. I have it, and it lags on me all the time.

 

[edenwaith]

Everyone hates The Phone Company

I followed through AT&T's website instructions to see if I could get the upgrade for the advertised iPhone price, but their website was still very vague. I could never find anything that either confirmed or denied whether I could upgrade. I finally went to an AT&T store to confirm my options, and since my phone had been (unwantingly) upgraded in the past several months, I am not eligible for the advertised iPhone pricing. So, if I want an iPhone, I will have to pay $399 or $499, instead of $199 or $299. Horrid, deceptive, false advertising. One of the biggest reasons I've stayed with Cingular/AT&T was so I could get an iPhone eventually (the other reason being that they aren't Verizon).

So, when is the next generation of the iPod touch coming out?

 

[iJesus]

I bet a debit card would work too. Unless you are dating another gadget geek I doubt going to the Apple store to buy yourself an iPhone will be very romantic (for the other person, anyway).

Anyways, I wonder if a software update will be necessary for Push to work with Mac OS X (I think it will be...) and when will we be able to upgrade our iPod Touches to the new firmware...

You're 17 and dating more than one person?

They're isn't gender neutral for a singular person, it refers to more than one person.

they |ðā|
pronoun [ third person plural ]
2 [ singular ] used to refer to a person of unspecified sex : ask someone if they could help.

are 1 |är|
2nd person singular present and 1st, 2nd, 3rd person plural present of be .

they're |ðe(ə)r|
contraction of
they are.

BUT, if it makes you happy, he, haha.

 

[Skylor]

they |ðā|
pronoun [ third person plural ]
2 [ singular ] used to refer to a person of unspecified sex : ask someone if they could help.

are 1 |är|
2nd person singular present and 1st, 2nd, 3rd person plural present of be .

they're |ðe(ə)r|
contraction of
they are.

BUT, if it makes you any happy. He. haha.

You beat me to correcting him. Haha.

 

[iJesus]

You beat me to correcting him. Haha.

Haha, Mac Dictionary makes it too easy.

 

[iJesus]

BTW, I just logged into my AT&T account and made myself an authorized user. That was toooo easy

 

[arn]

The iPhone 3g has been in production since the first weeks of March. I see no reason for a world wide shortage. I estimate about 5 million phones have been produced. For 22 countries that should be ample. Even if less were produced I see no reason for shortages.

This is untrue. There was that import report that claimed Apple was stockpiling the iPhone since March, but that was clearly false.

Since they carry the last beta release of the firmware, the iPhone 3G may have only been in production since somewhere after June 9th (7th beta released) and around June 26 (8th beta released).

arn