O2 Limiting iPhone 4 Orders to Existing Customers in UK as Rumored Display Shortages Cramp Supplies

[theelysium]

How different is this response then American Cell Companies!!! In American the new customers get the priority and the device first and existing customers can kiss their arses!

It is nice to see that some where the world existing customer get priority over new accounts! Version, AT&T & Sprint should take notes!

 

[tillathenun]

It's bad?… How exactly?

I'm an existing O2 customer, so I'll be eligible for this (although I don't think I'll be upgrading this time around).

I think it's refreshing for a company to look after its customers - it doesn't happen often. It's not a good 'business' decision, no - they run the risk of losing customers to the other carriers - but given their network is under strain as it is, I think they're wise to look after the ones they have.

And given the range of networks offering it in the UK, I really don't see that this news is worth getting too stressed about for anyone other than people that really wanted to go with O2.

 

[haiggy]

Ugh.... guess that means I'll be getting my iPhone here in Canada in SEPTEMBER

 

[womble2k2]

Disappointed but not surprised.

Given that AT&T decided to allow some customer to upgrade early, that drove up demand in the US. Coupled with the decision of Apple to launch in multiple countries rather than its usual more staggered approach, has put demand through the roof.

Maybe they need to tap Nokia for some of their production capabilities

Phil

 

[Veinticinco]

The more I hear about this, the more I'm tempted to just go on holiday for a month whilst this farce of a launch runs its course and the ohnoes Woody Allen types push the UK iPhone 4 thread to 500 pages.

I'll then return in late July all nicely relaxed and stroll into my local Apple Store, walk to the counter, ask for a 32GB white iPhone 4, hand my card over and walk out with one in less than 5 mins flat.

 

[daneoni]

June 24th REALLY will be interesting now. Yet another botched Apple launch. Next up will be activation issues followed by Rev A issues the following weeks

*Grabs popcorn*

 

[iOrlando]

umm, i really don't think they are (on eBay already).

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-APPLE-IPHON...ltDomain_0&hash=item1e5c89cd1b#ht_4541wt_1366

 

[womble2k2]

umm, i really don't think they are (on eBay already).

The iPhone isn't, but there is a unique opportunity to own an essential iPhone 4 related domain name;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/www-orderipho...&pt=UK_Computing_Services&hash=item3cae17bb45

LOL

 

[PhoneyBoy]

Wow, O2 is dealing with shortened supplies as well?

Three things about these issues:

1. Apple said that this was their biggest update since the iPhone was released, surely they should have known that it would have sold like hot cakes from the very beginning.

2. The carriers shouldn't have dropped the prices on renewals for existing customers, this has really caused a lot of the sales in my opinion.

3. Apple should up the price of iPhone by at least $100-$200 dollars, so fewer people can access them and they can ensure enough supply. They could always drop the price later in the life cycle of the product.

1. Apple will have made as many iPhone as they predicted to sell, sure it looks like that is not enough, BUT they have done their best.

2. If they did not do that, you would be moaning, "why no upgrade renewals"

3. If they did that it would be like it was with the 2G, they would have to give refunds to the early purchasers or hack off a lot of customers.

 

[The Samurai]

It's a business decision and as tough as it is, its already made.

I guess he doesn't know zilch about business then . It's a smart move by concentrating on your most loyal customers, giving them priority. Decision has been made and its the right one imho

 

[Buzzsaw]

This is excellent news as far as I am concerned.

As an existing O2 customer, I am glad to see that they are putting their current customers first for once. I can't get the iPhone 4 at launch and therefore welcome this decision.

 

[PhoneyBoy]

June 24th REALLY will be interesting now. Yet another botched Apple launch. Next up will be activation issues followed by Rev A issues the following weeks

*Grabs popcorn*

Name another smartphone manufacturer that has to cope with this level of demand?

 

[kironin]

just keep reminding myself, I wasn't scheduled to be eligible for the lower price till October anyway, mid-August will be fine anyway, the novelty of using iOS 4 on my current iPhone should wear off by then.

 

[Jeremy1026]

Wow, O2 is dealing with shortened supplies as well?

Three things about these issues:

1. Apple said that this was their biggest update since the iPhone was released, surely they should have known that it would have sold like hot cakes from the very beginning.

2. The carriers shouldn't have dropped the prices on renewals for existing customers, this has really caused a lot of the sales in my opinion.

3. Apple should up the price of iPhone by at least $100-$200 dollars, so fewer people can access them and they can ensure enough supply. They could always drop the price later in the life cycle of the product.

With business plans like that its hard to imagine you aren't CEO of a multi-million dollar global corporation.

 

[harpinred]

Those are some terrible business suggestions.

Terrible and selfish in my opinion!

When I got my 3G the same delays and frustrations happened. I remember lines wrapping around our local Apple Store for three weeks after the launch. It was an outrage, it was uncoordinated, it was... A really great product! And if the numbers coming out are true about 10 times the demand on this launch compared to the prior one, it's no wonder Apple and AT&T are floundering again. These numbers are beating even the most optimistic forecasts and wow am I glad I bought a few more shares of Apple last month

 

[womble2k2]

Name another smartphone manufacturer that has to cope with this level of demand?

Nokia

RIM

 

[Jeremy1026]

Nokia

RIM

No where close, neither of them have sold over a half million units in a day. Let alone a day of preorders.

 

[WilliamLondon]

Maybe they need to tap Nokia for some of their production capabilities

On a semi-related topic, I'm curious.

I know that Nokia sells more phones than Apple, but what I'd like to know is a ranking of specific handsets (or models). Where does the iPhone rank in this comparison. I don't mean Android vs. iPhone, but rather a Nokia 6301 vs. Apple iPhone vs. [all the rest].

There are numerous handsets out there, running a few platforms and the rankings I see are mostly about popularity of platform as opposed to specific handset or model.

Anyone know?

 

[cvaldes]

With business plans like that its hard to imagine you aren't CEO of a multi-million dollar global corporation.

Yeah, I love it when people second-guess Apple's senior management team.

Try running a company that blows doors compared to all other S&P 500 components.

No one's perfect, but I'm not about to play armchair Apple CEO. As an AAPL shareholder, I am happy to keep my mouth shut about their business decisions and re-elect the board every year as long as they continue to increase shareholder value (AAPL hit $275 today, an all-time high).

 

[matticus008]

Nokia

RIM

Neither of those companies has ever had a product launch the size of the 3GS or iPhone 4.

Display yield problems are absolutely no surprise here, except perhaps for customers, but it's hardly a "botched" launch, since there were never any publicly promised levels that their suppliers failed to meet.

"Enough capacity to handle any eventuality" is not a realistic standard. Even if they had doubled system capacity compared to the 3GS, it would still have been insufficient. If that's a problem, it's one most companies can only wish for. The absurd levels of scrutiny of Apple launches has a tendency to expose parts of the real world most people just don't understand, and leads them into making some fairly ridiculous assertions based on totally unrealistic premises.

I know that Nokia sells more phones than Apple, but what I'd like to know is a ranking of specific handsets (or models).

That's proprietary information. Companies will report specific product data occasionally when it's newsworthy, but there are no regular, public breakdowns at that level of detail.

Most report general figures on volumes, margins, and revenue for investors, but no company, Apple included, provides a handset-by-handset breakdown. You can't even rely on segment figures--Apple has two iPhone models simultaneously for sale: the 3GS and the 4.

 

[ensee]

So… just buy the cheapest O2 Pay & Go phone out there and lo, you qualify, no? There's a crappy LG one you can get for about a tenner. Could work.

 

[puckhead193]

shouldn't new customers (or adding a line) have first priority...

 

[daleski75]

Does this 'existing customers only' apply to if you but the phone from apple directly instore?

What happens if you are a new customer who has reserved one and want it on o2 will you get turned away from the apple store?

 

[shandyman]

i was looking to upgrade from pay and go to contract, whats not clear is, can i do that on launch day??!!

 

[severe]

How different is this response then American Cell Companies!!!...

I was thinking the same. At the very least, they have a plan.