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I think shopping centres with 02 store in them will open early if needed. When the iPhone launched last time, the 02 store in Lincoln usually closed at 5pm along with the Waterside Shopping centre. Because of the launch, they remained open till 10/11pm! I think we bought ours around 9.30pm :)
 
Yeah, 5000 iPhones would take a hell of a lot of storage space. Even the largest stores would struggle with that. If the current box size is used 5000 iPhones would take up a HUGE space... and this would be a huge security risk. Imagine the losses (5000 * £300 = £1,500,000!). I think its going to be more like 500 phones, but then depending on store size! Wasnt there a stock checker (at least in american apple stores) to say when the next iPhone delivery was?

I think this is just some smart-alec salesman trying to be all nice so that you come back and see him and line his pocket with commission.

Come to think of it, when I worked there, I never remember us - or any of the branches I monitored having more than about 40 phones of one particular model. Obviously, for the iphone, it might be a bit different...but not massively. I think more like there is approximately 5k iphones (probably a few k more) in the company in the first shipment.

Think there's around 250 stores last time i knew? The majority of which are small...so 20 per store? less for the smaller, more for the larger? Probably what that salesman was getting at.
 
5000 in the first shipment sounds more realistic but a bit low - they've got 130,000 registered wth the website (according to O2). 5000 would say they expect less than 4% of that number to turn into sales, which is a bit pessimistic IMO. Maybe 5000 per region?

The other possibility is they're going to 'do a Nintendo' and make sure they sell out for a while to generate buzz.
 
Hello all, interesting discussion we have going on here. And i'm with you lot on this one, 5000 phones on launch date would take up masses of storage space. However like ive stated before, I was just quoting what he told me. (this is called macrumors after all).

Perhaps he meant that during the last iPhones year of sales, they received 5000 units into the store?

I spoke to another store aswell on my way home from work and they told me a few things, O2 are selling the phone from 7.02am, 11th July.

Apple will only be selling the Pay as you go Tarrif, he went on to tell me that Jailbreaking and unlocking has cost O2, £7million this year, so will be clamping down on this greatly.

Just noticed, my information is on the front page, very happy to have helped.

Cheers
 
Well that's not true either - all the gen 1 iphones are week stamped in the serial number. If you buy one they are rarely more than two-three weeks old. They certainly haven't been sitting around in an O2 store since launch day.

Don't you remember the issues about different firmware versions in OTB phones?


thats not completely true, i work for o2 and at launch every single store in uk had a minimum of 50 iphones (which is amazing considering things such as the viewty and n95s generally get 3-5 each week on store deliveries), so if you work in a quiet store like me those 50 iphones took a while to go down and we had some from UK launch up untill the 169 price drop then they totally went. so all our stock was 1.1.2 from launch, all of it.


this isnt the case for busier branches obviously as they had queues and it sold out etc.


and in regards to it costing them revenues, im 50/50 on the subject as obviously no contract no revenes but then again every iphone sold in any country bar the ones that got it legit is profit, as every iphone in canada for example has given apple handset money which they technically shouldnt have got, well thats my 'laymans' thinking behind it.
 
number of phones sold minus number of phones not activated on o2 network maybe?;)

I'm sure that they would like to quantify it that way, but that would be artificial because those people who bought to unlock were catering for individuals (themselves included) who never had any intention to sign up for an official iPhone contract with O2 come what may.
 
i pre-ordered mine like 2 weeks ago on the german T-Mobile page and they even guarantee a HOME delivery on july 11 for the first 1.000 ppl
 
There has been some talk that O2 may promise a home delivery on the 11th of July for U.K. upgraders. I hope that this is so.

Fingers crossed! I'm going to be away for that weekend from early afternoon on Friday, and would love to be taking the new iPhone with me :D
 
I hoping the fact that each store has 5000 iphones doesn't mean it sells out fast, as its been reported that this time around O2 has had over 135,000 people signing up their interest this time around as opposed to approx 35,000 for the 1st gen.

Although having said that people have also stated that a 1st gen iphone purchased when O2 dropped the price had a serial number from an old original shipment, so maybe we'll be ok!

And as a teaser for people in Brighton, UK i spoke to my friend last night who used to work for the O2 store on western road (opposite churchill square) and apparently the store is closed for refurbishment, just in time for the 11th i presume!

Its all fun and games!:D
 
3, The opening times are still not fixed, but the time proposed at the conference was 7am July 11th 2008.

i can vouch for this. I live near sheffield and i just phoned the o2 store in meadowhall and talked to the manager. He said the actual release time is 7AM, but it is not certain if they can sell it at this time, as the meadowhall center doesnt open until 10AM. So basically, if they can get the center to open early, the release will be 7 AM in the meadowahll store. He also sai all other non center o2 stores will be open at 7AM.
heres our dualog on the phone:
Me:Hi

Manager: how may i help you?

Me: I just wondered if you knew what time the iPhone 3G will launch?

Manager: Its definatly 7 AM, but its a bit up in the air.

Me: What Do You Mean?

Manager: Well, the centre usually opens at 10AM, so we are working with the managers to get it to open early for us. If not then it will be 10AM.

Me: SO its the same time nationwide. 7AM

Manager: Yes. Although some centre stores may be affected.
posted by me at www.BuyMeAniPhone.com
 
From the o2 forum. I have my doubts about the 16gb iPhone 3G not been sold from launch day.

Hey guys

I work in an o2 store, and we have been advised of the following procedures for the iphone launch.

- iPhone customers can only upgrade direct through online/customer services NOT INSTORE

- iPhone will launch at 7:02 am

- The black 8gb version will be the only version to launch on the 11th

- Version 2.0 for existing iPhones will also be available as of the 11th
 
From the o2 forum. I have my doubts about the 16gb iPhone 3G not been sold from launch day.

- The black 8gb version will be the only version to launch on the 11th
[/I]

No way, it was in the keynote that both 8GB & 16GB were to be released on the 11th.
 
The only possible scenario I can see where that may be true is that the o2 stores will initially only stock the 8gb model and the online store will have both. I reckon it's not true.
 
- iPhone customers can only upgrade direct through online/customer services NOT INSTORE

I hope they advertise this clearly for existing iPhone customer or they might be some annoyed people after queing a long time to be turned away and advised to ring CS:confused:

o2 better start a mass text message alert to all existing iphone customers informing of this:)
 
- The black 8gb version will be the only version to launch on the 11th

That would seem a bit odd as I would have thought the 16Gb would be the one most people would go for. As with the launch of the original iphone, the smaller (4Gb) model was pretty unpopular and was eventually discontinued.
 
That would seem a bit odd as I would have thought the 16Gb would be the one most people would go for. As with the launch of the original iphone, the smaller (4Gb) model was pretty unpopular and was eventually discontinued.
I agree. It seems clear to me, if members of Mac Rumors are a reliable indicator, that the 16GB model is likely to be the more popular model.
 
- The black 8gb version will be the only version to launch on the 11th

I hope this is complete and utter BS or I am gonna be hella mad. After waiting so long for the launch only to be told "Sorry, not today!"... no, doesn't make sense.
 
Wow, I've just had a look around the net. My info is now on many tech Websites and forums. Apparently someone rang o2 themselves and they have denied it.
 
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