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Dont plan on the iPhone being released Monday
- Thread starter bbplayer5
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Ok... I can give a few (possible) reasons....
1) by artificially restricting supply they build pent up demand and hence hype for the product.
2) the iPhone is, at this point at least, not a commodity item- it is still a luxury item sold only by a select few. The people that want one will (generally) wait to buy one (and build themselves up to a feeding frenzy) -- the fact that for x number of weeks (where x is a number between 1 and 8) probably has little material impact on the *total* number of sales made over the quarter, just impacting those weeks sales.
3) Observe history with the original release of the iPhone. A change in price resulted in the necessity to provide a cash incentive to keep good will for the early adopters. By ensuring that no one can purchase a device for in excess of 2 weeks (the 14 day return cycle) and preferably 30 days renders moot the entire "but if I'd known a new one was being released I would have waited" as well as a slew of returns swapping out phones.
Note that I didn't say that they necessarily were going to keep the 1st generation phones around only that they could, and that certain rumors are floating that indicate they may be considering just that.
Regardless as to whether or not they do, to release and make available the 3G iPhone when the very people they have been courting to make apps for the device are unable to go buy it because of attendance at the WWDC makes no sense to me. If they did, a large number of attendees are there specifically for the iPhone and would probably want to tune/test their apps for the new device which would require them to make a decision: attend paid for conference sessions or test applications on newly released device (and AppStore) so that they can get their applications published. From this angle, it makes the most sense to announce product on Monday, but have it be available on a future date (27th, 20th or 13th -- in order as the 13th is still the last day of the conference with many people flying home).
Finally, announcing followed by a future availability allows for hype to build and peak, and Steve Jobs appears to like spectacle.
rob.
So do I, I've been waiting (and lurking) for a couple of months now. My birthday money is burning a hole in my pocket, lol!I agree apple loves the hype and lines at a launch. I really hope that they release it quickly after monday though
This is a good reason why they *won't* do it.
They'd kill good will with their developers if they put them in the position that they had to bail on the conference they had to pay for just to go stand in line at the Apple store. Even if they set up kiosks inside Moscone West, I'd still be upset that they made me stand in line to buy more product from them instead of attending the sessions I paid for.
rob.
My guess is that:
p.s. I also believe the new phones will be unlocked *worldwide* and you will receive a rebate when you sign up with a carrier
- The new iPhone *lineup* is announced next Monday
- They are available for online order immediately (shiping immediately or "soon")
- Available in *Apple* stores either Tuesday or Friday 6/13 when stores open
- Is carried by at&t company stores starting on Monday 6/16 (hence the vacation blackout starting 6/15)
p.s. I also believe the new phones will be unlocked *worldwide* and you will receive a rebate when you sign up with a carrier
Lets think out of the box for a second. Apple can easily have new iphones available to purchase at the conference for developers only. Developers get the iphone, play with it, learn something at the conference, test on it, etc. This way they don't have to leave anywhere. Everyone else at the store. And btw if they leave they can come back. Its not the end of the world. Those that want to learn something will come back. No way 100% of the people attending will be developers.
Note, however, that last year, AT&T's vacation blackout started two weeks before the iPhone sale date. If it's not the 9th (which I don't think it will be), the date will be pre-announced about a week or two before. This gives the AT&T and Apple staff time to get trained on the device specifics.
If there is any sort of subsidy or other change to the way AT&T handles iPhones, they'll need to train their staff well ahead of the sale date.
I am not going to wait in line again. I will order mine whenever they are available and be done with it.
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
I still disagree. Apple doesn't need to stimulate demand for the iphones. And like it or not apple HAS lost sales by it being unavailable for the past month. Maybe not from the 'ooo iphone, gimme gimme, i love apple!' type people. but the 'oh I need a new phone.. i heard the iphone is nice.. oh they are out.. well my coworker has a blackberry and that's pretty cool' type ppl. so yea they definitely have lost sales.
Also they wouldn't have to worry about the uproar because 1) all the in-the-know apple ppl know that a new product is coming out. and 2) apple has that 2 week refund policy
I don't think training will be needed this time as this is a v2 product and just about the whole world knows about the iPhone. My hunch is that they will need a day or two to stock and set up displays, but it will be the same procedure as v1: at&t just sells the phones and offers "courtesy" credit checks, but account setup is done via iTunes. This time however, a customer would receive their subsidy/rebate as an account or iTunes credit if they *choose* to sign up for service with at&t. T-Mobile users and others would be able to buy at full price, "activate" in iTunes, and plug their own SIM in.
i bet 15% are there just on the fact they r hoping for the new iphone to be announced that day
Not if they put a iphone under the seat of all keynote attendee's ;-)
They did pay $1600 to attend ....
So, who's to say they won't have that midnight launch on Monday night? I don't see a significance to Friday vs. any other day, or to have it near the end of the month like they did last year (Of which I was in line for)
They've foregone sales for so long, I really don't see them waiting to put this thing up for sale. I'd predict Friday the 13th at 6:00 at the latest.
That would suck for all the WWDC attendees as they'll all probably be on a plane around that time.
They've foregone sales for so long, I really don't see them waiting to put this thing up for sale. I'd predict Friday the 13th at 6:00 at the latest.
That would suck for all the WWDC attendees as they'll all probably be on a plane around that time.
Last year they brought part of the company store to the WWDC - I can see them doing the same thing this year. There's plenty of time to sell these things at lunch, or after the last session takes place and the beer is flowing. I'm sure the SF store would love the 5-10 thousand people from the WWDC to head over, but I'll bet Apple will have or backs.
$1600 to attend WWDC? Yea that makes sense ... conferences like these for anything are expensive. You get some good training classes to go along with that. WWDC is not meant for the general public but companies and individuals who make their livelihood on Apple software.
No, I just know it WONT be this one (tomorrow), and have picked a Fri.
Im playin' it safe with my pick!
1) Last year there were > 5000 people in attendance at WWDC. This year will be more (they sold out). I tend to think it would take quite a while to move that much product.
2) On the topic of leaving and coming back. It's costing me almost $5000 to go to WWDC this year specifically so that I can work on software for the iPhone. Having to leave and come back means that the $500 phone turns into a $1000 phone (after accounting for lost sessions).
3) While it's possible 100% are not developers, you've got to be pretty serious to plunk down $1300+ to see the keynote (unless you're there on a student pass).
rob.
$1600 is par for the course for this type of thing. It's not a trade show but a developers conference where inside info is imparted.
rob.
Umm... yeah? From hanging out here, you'd get the impression that people go to WWDC just to see the keynote and possibly buy a new phone. That's ridiculous (as is the 15% figure guessed at above).
People go to WWDC to:
- Attend sessions and learn about new and existing technologies, as well as get a chance to ask specific questions related to their projects
- Advertize their products
- Network with other developers and people in the Mac community
- Write articles, conduct interview, and do other media coverage
Some go "just for the fun of it", but if you're there for business, $1,600 is entirely reasonable.
1600 big deal. You have your CC ready, swipe and you got your iphone. Why is it so hard for you to imagine something like this? when i bought my iphone last year i was in an out of store in less then 2 minutes.
Some people have money. You can also use a tax write off since its business related. Talk to your CPA since you will be able to write most of it off. Dont make me bust out the tax code on you.