Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Can UK Existing iPhone users buy a handset from Apple Retail and upgrade at home?

anim8or

anim8or

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 16, 2006
1,362
9
Scotland, UK
O2's website clearly states that existing users need only to put their original iPhone SIM into the 3G iPhone and the rest is done through itunes....

...Does this mean we can buy from Apple Retail locations.....?
 
anim8or said:
O2's website clearly states that existing users need only to put their original iPhone SIM into the 3G iPhone and the rest is done through itunes....

...Does this mean we can buy from Apple Retail locations.....?
Click to expand...

Most likely, yes. Using the new version of iTunes due of on Friday.

However what is unclear is how you will complete the contract part of the equation.
 
I spoke to someone at O2 upgrade last night and she stated that i could (as an exisiting iphone user) upgrade at any Apple store.

I questioned her twice on this and she confirmed i can go to any O2; CPW or Apple store to upgrade. :p
 
I've heard that some are.. however you won't be able to leave the store without signing a contract... so it'll only be those stores that have worked out some way of signing people up to new contracts.
 
03sho said:
I dont think apple are selling the iPhones.
Click to expand...

I thought that too.... but we are yet to have any official word?

It just seems that if it is so easy for existing users to activate the new iPhone, if we can get our bloody hands on one (see numerous threads!), then why should we not get one from Apple.

The only company in the equation that i trust to provide a good service is Apple, not O2 or CPW.
 
anim8or said:
O2's website clearly states that existing users need only to put their original iPhone SIM into the 3G iPhone and the rest is done through itunes....

...Does this mean we can buy from Apple Retail locations.....?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the Apple website still says that O2 and CPW are the places in the UK to buy the iPhone 3G, no mention of them being on sale in Apple stores at all. If they are I'd think it'd be the PAYG version only, but there's no official word either way.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

just spoke to apple store in Exeter. They will only sell 3G phones to new customers, no upgrades or ppl with current O2 contracts.
 
Yes. You'd have to sign a new 18 month contract.

Up until yesterday O2 were saying online only for existing customers. Extending it to apple stores is a bit of a stretch as it means giving them the ability to terminate the existing 18 month contract early.. I'd expect only an O2 store had that kind of access.
 
03sho said:
I dont think apple are selling the iPhones.
Click to expand...

anim8or said:
I thought that too.... but we are yet to have any official word?

It just seems that if it is so easy for existing users to activate the new iPhone, if we can get our bloody hands on one (see numerous threads!), then why should we not get one from Apple.

The only company in the equation that i trust to provide a good service is Apple, not O2 or CPW.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was thinking, and Im not sure if its new but after the Apple Online Store came back up this morning I noticed a "Where To Buy" link and it only lists CPW & O2 stores.

http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/buy/
 
TonyHoyle said:
Yes. You'd have to sign a new 18 month contract.

Up until yesterday O2 were saying online only for existing customers. Extending it to apple stores is a bit of a stretch as it means giving them the ability to terminate the existing 18 month contract early.. I'd expect only an O2 store had that kind of access.
Click to expand...

I see your point but....

If existing users are simply to put their existing SIM in to the new iPhone and do the rest on iTunes then O2 (as usual) have been less than forthcoming with the exact nature of how to upgrade, once you have the handset that is!
 
AnonymousOne said:
Exactly what I was thinking, and Im not sure if its new but after the Apple Online Store came back up this morning I noticed a "Where To Buy" link and it only lists CPW & O2 stores.

http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/buy/
Click to expand...

Its not new..... I think Apple were having to hold off due to the whole, how to activate in store problem they have with no experienced telecoms staff to put through new contract or upgrade existing ones....

time will tell.
 
anim8or said:
If existing users are simply to put their existing SIM in to the new iPhone and do the rest on iTunes then O2 (as usual) have been less than forthcoming with the exact nature of how to upgrade, once you have the handset that is!
Click to expand...

I don't think that wording has changed from when they were saying online only - in that case they'd send you the phone via courier without a SIM and you'd put your old one in.
 
TonyHoyle said:
I don't think that wording has changed from when they were saying online only - in that case they'd send you the phone via courier without a SIM and you'd put your old one in.
Click to expand...

I agree, so what is stopping us doing that by purchasing form another store, namely Apple.

The only thing that really stops me would be the risk of signing up to a second 18 moth contract by mistake due to not buying it from a telecoms store!
 
You'd still have to replicate what you would have done online - sign up to the new contract, terminate the old contract early - in the apple store. It all depends on whether apple stores have ability to do that.. from what I've heard it appears they don't.
 
TonyHoyle said:
You'd still have to replicate what you would have done online - sign up to the new contract, terminate the old contract early - in the apple store. It all depends on whether apple stores have ability to do that.. from what I've heard it appears they don't.
Click to expand...

I take it that by purchasing online at O2 the contract stuff is all done automatically?
 
Yes.

Not sure how they do the signature bit though - presumably you get the printed contract to sign and send back to them when the phone arrives. When you buy in-store of course the paperwork is the easy bit..
 
I really don't think apple will want the hassle or effort of having to take people through credit checks, upgrades, cancellations etc.. all for someone to then walk out with a free iPhone. Leave all that to the monkeys at o2.

Apple will wait until the Christmas season, when I reckon the PAYG will end up being sold in every Apple store and will be one of this years most wanted presents. THEN you'll have massive queues. It will be the new Buzz Lightyear, mark my words :)
 
anim8or said:
Surely they would charge the same prices as O2 and CPW, otherwise they price themselves out of their own market!?
Click to expand...

No you're missing my point - they'd have to have confirmation of a new 18-month contract at the Apple store (whether or not you're already a customer) in order to get the right price for the phone.

If they let you upgrade at home, what would they charge for the phone? £299? £99? Free?
 
They told me yesterday at the Regent street Apple store that they will be selling the iPhone. But everybody seems to be saying something different, so i just don't know what to believe.
And where the heck are the white ones?
 
I heard the Apple Store would only be offering the iPhone to new O2 or CPW customers and business account holders.
Existing iPhone and non-iPhone customers, apparently, must visit their nearest O2 or CPW store.

R-Fly
 
TonyHoyle said:
Yes.

Not sure how they do the signature bit though - presumably you get the printed contract to sign and send back to them when the phone arrives. When you buy in-store of course the paperwork is the easy bit..
Click to expand...
The phone must be signed-for when received. It will be a term of receipt of the phone that the contract has to be accepted.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back