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Essentially, the iPhone will be offered for sale as a first-come, first-serve basis, and no pre-sales will be allowed.

As previously known, the iPhone will be available in June but "the exact date has not been announced". The document also reinforces the $499 and $599 prices for the iPhone and instructs employees to not speculate or discuss other pricing possibilties.

Uhhh.... this is news???

yeah, it's an exciting new product and all has not been divulged (or the hopes of many are too high and no one has actually had their hands on the thing) but there really is no need to post known info on the front page... everything in this article has been pretty up-front since day one.:cool:
 
While there are probably many reasons for Apple/AT&T doing this, there is one guaranteed result. The media coverage of this "event" will be far more visual. It was already going to make front page here and there, but instead of some sales figure attached to the article, we're going to see a photograph of people waiting in line to get one.

This will be a huge mind share splash. A phone so great people stand in line for it?!! Brilliant marketing, even if that isn't the core reason for it.
 
I bet there will be a little AT&T desk in every Apple store where you can buy a iPhone and sort out all the contract stuff there :p

i bet you'll be able to buy an iphone like you do any other ipod, over the counter without hassle. i'm thinking the contract stuff will be handled once you get home over the phone.
 
i bet you'll be able to buy an iphone like you do any other ipod, over the counter without hassle. i'm thinking the contract stuff will be handled once you get home over the phone.

No, I doubt you'll be able to leave the store without activating the phone, that's just not how cell companies work. The service will be provided by Apple just like everything else, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have specially train "iPhone" employees.
 
i bet you'll be able to buy an iphone like you do any other ipod, over the counter without hassle. i'm thinking the contract stuff will be handled once you get home over the phone.

eek! I hope not. Cingular has some of the worst over the phone customer service of any provider. I mean come on, is 24 hour tech support too much?!

I switched to cingular a few years ago from t-mobile due to range and network functionality but at least I could call up t-mobile at 10PM and talk to someone...
 
No, I doubt you'll be able to leave the store without activating the phone, that's just not how cell companies work. The service will be provided by Apple just like everything else, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have specially train "iPhone" employees.

I bought 2 cell phones from Amazon with plans provided by Cingular. I received the phones with a note to insert the sim card and then call a certain number. Once I did that the phones were activated. I think this may be an option for Apple's online biz or maybe even their brick & mortar stores.
 
AT&T music downloads

I distinctly remember Steve Jobs mentioning something about AT&T (Cingular) music downloads in addition to iTunes for the iPhone. May be Apple will play nice with AT&T music downloads and may be eventually those downloads will be playable on the computers and iPods too.
 
Man, I cant wait for all you folks to pay retail, work out the bugs, and suffer through an inferior network so that in June of 2008, I can get an iPhone. :p

Nah! I'm getting the phone day one. The real question is: Is the hardware rock solid? I think it will be, as they are being pretty conservative with it, which is why no battery-sucking 3G for example. Sure, the software will need improvement - and we will get it. I expect software updates will come to us fast and chock full of goodness. This product will start out great and get better and better over time.

A lot of things are upgradable these days. My current Nokia phone is, but you know, the fact is, they hardly ever actually update the thing, I haven't seen one in ages. Was same with my previous SE phone. You get an update or two (often easy in Europe but a pain in the USA) and then it is settled and they are out with another model which in turn needs shaking out.

I do not think Apple will do this. I believe we will see regular updates with substantial and truly cool additions over time. So it's all up to the hardware. If you think that will be good from the start then jump on in!
 
count me out.

sorry apple, even a happy user (3 macs, 1 apple tv) like me is passing on the iphone. have a sprint pda phone which is not perfect but does more than enough including streaming tv thanks to slingbox! and the unlimited data plan is only 15 with sprint. if att is going to charge more than 20 for unlimited data you will be in for a suprise because there are less idiots out there than you think.
 
sorry apple, even a happy user (3 macs, 1 apple tv) like me is passing on the ipod. have a rio phone which is not perfect but does more than enough including linking to itunes! and it only cost $99. if apple is going to charge more than $200 for the ipod you will be in for a suprise because there are less idiots out there than you think.

keep on doubtin' son, it's why steve jobs is the head of a billion dollar, cultural icon, while you -- and i for that matter -- get your kicks from the internet peanut gallery.

post-steve's return apple has had exactly one legitimate failure: the mac cube. steve is exceptionally cautious this time around and has been quoted as saying he's proud of the products apple chooses not to release.

the question isn't will the iphone be successful, the question is will the iphone be as successful as the ipod.
 
sorry apple, even a happy user (3 macs, 1 apple tv) like me is passing on the iphone. have a sprint pda phone which is not perfect but does more than enough including streaming tv thanks to slingbox! and the unlimited data plan is only 15 with sprint. if att is going to charge more than 20 for unlimited data you will be in for a suprise because there are less idiots out there than you think.

there are millions waiting on this phone, dont preend everyone agrees with you.

It's just a phone.

its sex.
 
It's just a phone.

No... It's an iPhone.

Naysayers: You must understand that this is not just a phone, this is not just Macrumors overkill, this is the first new Apple product of merit, this is exciting!


(Apple TV is nice and all, but only a few will use it. iPhone will be used by all!)
 
No, I doubt you'll be able to leave the store without activating the phone, that's just not how cell companies work. The service will be provided by Apple just like everything else, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have specially train "iPhone" employees.

You buy the phone outright* and STILL be lumbered with a contract and a locked up phone...
:rolleyes:


*Apple have said no subsidises ( enforcing the provider ), your buying the phone at full price.
 
keep on doubtin' son, it's why steve jobs is the head of a billion dollar, cultural icon, while you -- and i for that matter -- get your kicks from the internet peanut gallery.

post-steve's return apple has had exactly one legitimate failure: the mac cube. steve is exceptionally cautious this time around and has been quoted as saying he's proud of the products apple chooses not to release.

the question isn't will the iphone be successful, the question is will the iphone be as successful as the ipod.
At the current level of hype if the iPhone is anything less than as succesfull as the iPod the people will declare that the Apple "era" is over and we should all buy Blackberry/Palm/Windows because Apple's not cool anymore/lost it/over the hill, ala PS3.
 
People camp out for videogames- wha makes you think people wouldn't camp out for a phone??

ppl camp out for MS windows too! , I suspect an iPhone will be a bit more rewarding thou, :)

Although restricting pre-orders is simply about building the buzz, having people banging down your door on a product launch is always good TV fodder.
 
contract!?

Contract? What? Pay that much for a phone and there better be NO contract.

I hate cell phone companies and their contracts. And now that my contract is up, I'm stuck with AT&T because if I switch I'll have to get another contract or put up with carriers that disable features on their phones (Verizon)!!!!
 
My god, I hope this lives up to the hype... AT&T sounds like they're preparing for a siege.


The "don't speculate about prices" line sounds like there has at least been talk about changing them...
 
I just hope i can buy the phone without changing my plan. If your not subsidizing the phone then you shouldn't make me extend/change my contract. I have a really sweet plan right now. $25 for 2000min unlim meaging, 5mb data. I will pay more for an addition data plan, but i don't want to loose my core plan.
 
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