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iPhone 3G Launch Day, Meetups and Activation

<sigh>

I did the whole front of the queue thing in Regent St on Nov 9th, spending the entire day speaking to reporters and getting stared at. I'm not sure if I've got the stomach for round 2.

Still, I've taken the day off work like a devoted Apple fan-boy. I'd really like it if they didn't make me wait all day til 6 or 7pm though
 
I agree that unboxing is part of the fun. To me, it's not as "new" if it's been opened by an employee before I get to touch it--which I know is silly, but still...I don't know much about SIM cards (nothing, really), but I hope as a previous poster said, they can just activate that and let users install it at home and finish the process with iTunes.
 
andhertoonz said:
a friend of mine works as an assistant manager at 02 in the uk and has been told they will be opening at 7:02 am on 7/11 :D
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That's awesome news! Really hope that's the case as I can be there, grab my new phone and head off to work with a very big smile on my face :)

arn said:
Do NOT cancel your current service or you will lose your phone number. You must initiate a transfer from AT&T when u get new service and the old service will automatically be discontinued at that time.

arn
Click to expand...

Can anybody UK based confirm this isn't the case for us here? O2 want my PAC code which I get once I cancel my current contract - iPhone less than 1 month away now and Voda need 1 month notice. Should work out nicely.
 
sunfast said:
Can anybody UK based confirm this isn't the case for us here? O2 want my PAC code which I get once I cancel my current contract - iPhone less than 1 month away now and Voda need 1 month notice. Should work out nicely.
Click to expand...

Here's what happened to me when I switched from Voda to O2 when I got my 1G iPhone:

1) Gave Voda notice and ensured I got PAC code about 2 weeks into this notice period (to mitigate against any delays in O2, or me, getting the iPhone
2) Bought iPhone in store, went home, stuck PAC code into iTunes as part of the activation process. I got assigned a temporary mobile number.
3) I think it took about 2 weeks for my old Voda # to port to O2. It took about 8 hours for it to actually happen on the day they told me it would happen and a call to both Voda and O2. Things were a bit flaky for a bit with at one stage both phones having the same number and not being able to make/receive calls but it got sorted within a few hours.
 
I'll be carrying my phone number over from another carrier when I buy an iPhone. Since this is the case, I would think AT&T would be the better purchase destination.

Being that I have an Apple giftcard, however, I need to go to an Apple store. Are they going to be equipped/trained to transfer numbers from different carriers to AT&T? I don't really know how the system works or how finnicky it could be.
 
I just bought my iphone a bit before the announcment, May 25 but I'm dying to get my hands on the new iphone.
 
I hope they don't do the whole 6:00 launch again. It made sense for the initial iPhone launch, but that's about it. I don't think the lines will be as bad as they were for the first iPhone and Apple should have been producing the new iPhone for quite some time now and shortage should not be an issue. If there are say 100 people in my town that want to buy the phone on July 11, it seems stupid to handle them all at one time instead of an initial rush at opening and the just a steady flow through the day. I would much prefer them releasing the iPhone 3G on July 11 at whatever time your local Apple or AT&T store opens. I think this would make it easier on the employees and the customers.
 
As others have said, I will get a 3G but I won't get one on the first day. Was too much of a hassle last year. If a store isn't busy later on in the day, I may go but that is it
 
chr1s60 said:
I hope they don't do the whole 6:00 launch again. It made sense for the initial iPhone launch, but that's about it. I don't think the lines will be as bad as they were for the first iPhone and Apple should have been producing the new iPhone for quite some time now and shortage should not be an issue. If there are say 100 people in my town that want to buy the phone on July 11, it seems stupid to handle them all at one time instead of an initial rush at opening and the just a steady flow through the day. I would much prefer them releasing the iPhone 3G on July 11 at whatever time your local Apple or AT&T store opens. I think this would make it easier on the employees and the customers.
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I totally agree with this but the publicity value of having a line around the block on every town's local news is tremendous. I was #100 in the 5th Ave Apple Store line last time and it looks I'll be doing it again! I kind of hope they won't start selling them in the morning because I don't want to sleep on the sidewalk!
 
Quick Question

I have a question for you guys, thank you in advance for any help you guys can offer.

I currently have an iPhone and I am planning on selling it and upgrading to a iPhone 3G - here is my question - If I sell the phone in two weeks and take out the sim card - will that sim work with another phone (like this old v3xx I have)? And do you think its plausible then to upgrade in the express line if such a thing exists - I of course will not do anything to my account in terms of billing changes?

Thank You guys for your help.
 
I'll wait until Monday. Let the initial weekend hype die down a bit. I've waited a year... a few extra days won't kill me.
 
Hawk. said:
I'll be carrying my phone number over from another carrier when I buy an iPhone. Since this is the case, I would think AT&T would be the better purchase destination.

Being that I have an Apple giftcard, however, I need to go to an Apple store. Are they going to be equipped/trained to transfer numbers from different carriers to AT&T? I don't really know how the system works or how finnicky it could be.
Click to expand...

I think it's safe to go to the Apple store. I'm sure Apple employees won't be walking around with a "deer in the headlights" look when you tell them you want to port over your current number. However, if you start asking set-up questions regarding syncing your new phone to your computer to transfer music, pictures, etc. or set-up e-mail account or use that gift card for iPhone accessories or buy "Mobile Me", etc., AT&T may not be as helpful.

Who knows Apple might use the same "splash" screen through iTunes that was originally available in the privacy of your own home during the activation process to first gen iPhone buyers that asked the question if they wanted to keep their current phone number yes or no and if yes, what is the number? So I wouldn't worry. Go to the Apple store.

I don't think I'm wrong here with my advice but if I am, I welcome all in the know to correct me for "Hawk's" sake as well as others.
 
Has anyone thought of the possibility of the iPhone NOT coming with a SIM card pre-installed? This would even further align the iPhone subsidy with the way current phones sales take place. This may also explain why every phone now has a "paper clip" in the box.

1. Approves contract and then iPhone sales person gets iPhone from stock room.
2. Sales person scans new SIM
3. Sales person scans back of iPhone box (AT&T has a sticker on the outside plastic in my area with IMEI number on it).
4. Sales person asks for payment and hands you new phone and SIM if new customer (or just phone for existing).
5. Go home and hook it up to iTunes to finalize activation with SIM and Phone.
End process.
 
I agree that the activation will be painless for current iphone owners, probably just a couple of barcode scans and it links to your account. new customers porting over numbers may be different:(
 
Sell Out?

Will the stores sell out for an extended period of time? Will they have stock on Monday the 14th?
 
Hi everybody,

sorry for bothering you with this stupid question. Maybe it's because I'm not a foreign speaker, but I didn't understand the rumors about the possibility for existing iPhone users to upgrade to the 3G one. Could anybody explain this in more depths for me please?

If this way turns out as true, do you think that this would open the chance for me as a German iPhone user to get the new phone without an American contract? The German options we might have seem not very good so far.

Thanks for any help and best regards from Munich
Dennis
 
bacaramac said:
Has anyone thought of the possibility of the iPhone NOT coming with a SIM card pre-installed? This would even further align the iPhone subsidy with the way current phones sales take place. This may also explain why every phone now has a "paper clip" in the box.

1. Approves contract and then iPhone sales person gets iPhone from stock room.
2. Sales person scans new SIM
3. Sales person scans back of iPhone box (AT&T has a sticker on the outside plastic in my area with IMEI number on it).
4. Sales person asks for payment and hands you new phone and SIM if new customer (or just phone for existing).
5. Go home and hook it up to iTunes to finalize activation with SIM and Phone.
End process.
Click to expand...

Yup. I see this being AT&T's last big "screw you" to current iPhone users. Every original iPhone owner would have to swap their sim card to the new phone, leaving the original without a sim card. They would just love to stifle the secondary market for first gen iPhones. Without a sim card, the original iPhone will have no resale value whatsoever.
 
lewisd25 said:
Yup. I see this being AT&T's last big "screw you" to current iPhone users. They would just love to stifle the secondary market for first gen iPhones. Without a sim card, the original iPhone will have no resale value whatsoever.
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? Most people that are selling their iPhones on eBay are selling it WITHOUT the sim. The buyer would just insert their existing sim (or one purchased through ATT), and then following the original signup process through iTunes.
 
FWIW, I don't believe the demand for iPhone 3G initially will be as high as the original iPhone. I had an original iPhone since day 1 and I'm not getting a iPhone 3G anytime soon. My thoughts why:

- Most Apple fans bought the original iPhone when it came out. Only the hardcore folks will spend $200 after a year for a new one which basically adds only 3G and GPS - surprisingly not important for average user.

- Those who never had an iPhone, there are now many competitors on the market (albeit not coming too close yet) that didn't exist last year so that will reduce the amount of people who want it. Sprint Instinct, Verizon Voyager, etc.

- People are still feeling burned by the price drop of last year and a few iPhone owners I've spoken to have vowed never to buy an Apple product in the first 6 months...either because of an impending price drop or refresh (more memory, etc.)

- People who bought the original iPhone on Day 1 realized there was plenty of stock available throughout he weekend and for several days so it was pointless to line up.

- Increased pricing of the AT&T contract makes it difficult for more people to jump on. The difference is about $15 per month on data/SMS.


So in the end, if I was getting an iPhone 3G I'd roll in over the weekend or whenever I felt like it and pick one up. I think lining up is not justified unless you have nothing better to do...in which case, enjoy. :D
 
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