On 24 pay and take vs. pay and activate

[drjdan]

On 24 will you be able to just pay for the iPhone 4 and take home to activate vs. taking time for Apple store clerk to activate. I would think that option would speed up the distribution at the store.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I don't think there is anything official. I think for the last two generations you have to activate in-store, not sure on this. I didn't get a 3G and had the 3GS shipped to me.

 

[waterskier2007]

I went to the AT&T store and asked this today. He said that they have to activate it in store. I then asked why, if some people just had it shipped and then activated it at home and he said that activating it in store is their way of checking your account and making sure you qualify for the subsidy. He said the shipped ones have already already been checked with your accounts.

Personally I think it's just a line of crap. I would rather activate at home but whatever.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Actually, before Apple ships out an iPhone if you order it from them online, they scan the box and tie that information to your line/account. I remember my iPhone 3GS knew some information about my account immediately when I connected it to my computer. They do this so people don't sell their iPhone and haven't already signed up for a new two year contract on a specific line, as AT&T does subsidize it.

I guess that Apple and AT&T think it's more convenient to get your iPhone activated in-store rather than setting up a system in-store similar to how iPhones ordered online are handled, since with in-store activation they're activating your iPhone instead of scanning the box within the same amount of steps.

 

[bniu]

I went to the AT&T store and asked this today. He said that they have to activate it in store. I then asked why, if some people just had it shipped and then activated it at home and he said that activating it in store is their way of checking your account and making sure you qualify for the subsidy. He said the shipped ones have already already been checked with your accounts.

Personally I think it's just a line of crap. I would rather activate at home but whatever.

make sure you get them to take your payment first and fast. Once you've signed for your purchase, the iPhone is legally your property and they can't legally force you to open it in store. Last year, I just told the manager that I wanted to take my sealed iPhone 3GS box and hang the unopened box on my wall as a decoration. Didn't make any sense but he figured that since i've already paid for it, he wasn't going to tell me what to do with it...