Running out of iPhones is pretty unprofessional...

[newyorksole]

Unprofessional or not, the 3G iPhone is coming and they don't want to have people buying it 4 days before the new phone is released and just returning them to the store. That would be madness. The 3G iPhone is coming soon, and if you can't see the signs, well then you're blind!

 

[samab]

Apple would NEVER do this unintentionally or without warning. They are doing this purely out of strategy and simply discontinued or suspended the version of the iPhone.

Apple did a lot of things unintentionally and without warning.

They didn't intend to massively drop the iphone price by $200 US within 3 months of the launch. They didn't intend to have their revenue sharing business model gone bust.

Unless the exclusive agreements have a clause that forces the carriers to buy a specific number of iphones --- if O2 doesn't want to stock any more first generation iphones, then Apple can't force them to buy any more first generation iphones

This is what happen to the supply and demand --- Apple said the iphone is still alive and O2 said the iphone is EOL. The reverse is happening at Microsoft --- Microsoft wanted to EOL windows xp and HP wanted to keep xp alive by downgrading Vista licenses to xp.

 

[yoyo5280]

Apple is known for unorthodox ways of doing everything. You don't have to be professional to be a great company in my opinion

 

[samab]

Unprofessional or not, the 3G iPhone is coming and they don't want to have people buying it 4 days before the new phone is released and just returning them to the store. That would be madness. The 3G iPhone is coming soon, and if you can't see the signs, well then you're blind!

Plenty of iphones are still available at AT&T stores --- with AT&T raising the number of iphones permitted to be bought back to 3 iphones per person.

Apple is known for unorthodox ways of doing everything. You don't have to be professional to be a great company in my opinion

Yes, Apple does a lot of things differently --- but you can't just say everything that Apple has done was done intentionally.

 

[phalewhale]

Unprofessional or not, the 3G iPhone is coming and they don't want to have people buying it 4 days before the new phone is released and just returning them to the store. That would be madness. The 3G iPhone is coming soon, and if you can't see the signs, well then you're blind!

Most of the folk frequenting these discussion boards know and realise that a new 3g iPhone is coming soon. If you're a regular here, you can't fail to notice. You cannot get the iPhone in the UK and this has been the case now for well over 4 days - more like 2 weeks so far...

Also, not everyone needs the latest and greatest, and my guess is that those who do, wouldn't be buying the current generation iPhone anyway, even if they were in stock.

 

[Sun Baked]

There's nothing like a shortage to create demand

It isn't like people think it is a must have item like a Tickle Me Elmo.

Actually it is a good thing for Apple to run out of them, it isn't like they would be able to dispose of overstock as easy as they did the Lisas anymore.

 

[soLoredd]

Personally, I think the 3G hype is just that. This is nothing more similar than a speed increase for iMacs or MacBooks. And for them to stop supplying a month in advance is pretty crappy. Someone either FUBARed the situation or Apple is just being Apple.

One of my co-workers just bought a damn HTC Touch instead of an iPhone because there wasn't stock. 3G be damned, it's being way overblown.

 

[TexasAg]

One of my co-workers just bought a damn HTC Touch instead of an iPhone because there wasn't stock. 3G be damned, it's being way overblown.

Come back in a month after the 3G iPhone is released and everyone can see the new features it has. Then let us know if your co-worker is still happy with his/her purchase instead of waiting.

Oh, and your coworker could have easily bought an iPhone if he/she really wanted one (directly from AT&T store or on-line).

 

[acfusion29]

Personally, I think the 3G hype is just that. This is nothing more similar than a speed increase for iMacs or MacBooks. And for them to stop supplying a month in advance is pretty crappy. Someone either FUBARed the situation or Apple is just being Apple.

One of my co-workers just bought a damn HTC Touch instead of an iPhone because there wasn't stock. 3G be damned, it's being way overblown.

Tell him to go back to the store and return that POS. My friend bought one and he's had nothing but trouble... case cracks TWICE (returned the first one then it cracked again and he didn't even drop it...), dropped calls, freezing (well explains since it's a windows mobile os , speaker phone is ***** on a stick, and there's more.

 

[skubish]

Hi all, I'm from England and just wanted to say that I think running out of iPhones and reporting them as currently unavailable is pretty unprofessional in my opinion. I think Apple should have had a replacement lined up before now, especially if the new iPhone is still a month away.

However, it will prevent Apple having to dish out $100 refunds when the new one is introduced.

I can't see what the point is here?
Apple is under no obligation to continue to make iPhones to satisfy you. (unless you are Steve in disguise)

I think your real complaint is that the 3G iPhone isn't out yet. Please change the title of your thread.

 

[nickspohn]

Apple can do whatever they want.



They, as in "they" (a bunch of people) are going to have more business sense than you.

 

[sananda]

I can't see what the point is here?
Apple is under no obligation to continue to make iPhones to satisfy you.

i think the point is that it seems pretty odd for a mobile phone manufacturer to have no phones available to buy for the past two weeks at any 02 or cpw store, or more recently at its online store, and so they are only to be bought at one of the 15 apple stores in the uk.

 

[samab]

i think the point is that it seems pretty odd for a mobile phone manufacturer to have no phones available to buy for the past two weeks at any 02 or cpw store, or more recently at its online store, and so they are only to be bought at one of the 15 apple stores in the uk.

It's not odd at all --- Apple can't force O2 or CPW to stock any more iphones if they don't want to stock iphones.

 

[zap2]

However, it will prevent Apple having to dish out $100 refunds when the new one is introduced.

No, it will make sure people who don't look up when products are getting updates, will not be upset.


If Apple didn't do this, people would complain. Now Apple does this,and Apple complain.

They can't win.

 

[BOSS10L]

No, it will make sure people who don't look up when products are getting updates, will not be upset.


If Apple didn't do this, people would complain. Now Apple does this,and Apple complain.

They can't win.

Exactly. How many other companies would have given a $100 refund after dropping the price on a CE product? Consumers whined and Apple was extremely gracious.

I bought my PS3 within the launch window and I can get a better one for less money, should I call Sony and complain? No, because they'd laugh in my face.

This all boils down to some people not being able to wait. If someone wants an iPhone badly enough, they can find one. If they want a 3G one, well then they're just going to have to wait. Most of us here went at least 2-3 decades (some more) without an iPhone in their lives, I seriously doubt another month will kill anyone.

 

[sananda]

It's not odd at all --- Apple can't force O2 or CPW to stock any more iphones if they don't want to stock iphones.

i don't know why there are no iphones available in o2 and cpw stores. and i don't know why there aren't any available in the apple online store for that matter.


but my opinion is that it seems strange to be in the business of making mobile phones and, after about 6 months of entering the uk market, the phones are only available in 15 shops. and have only been available in 15 shops for the past couple of weeks. and may well not be available extensively for a few more weeks.

 

[sjo]

but my opinion is that it seems strange to be in the business of making mobile phones and, after about 6 months of entering the uk market, the phones are only available in 15 shops. and have only been available in 15 shops for the past couple of weeks. and may well not be available extensively for a few more weeks.

it's not strange at all. the merchandise didn't move from the shelves before they put it on firesale. if the firesale price at which the consumers finally bought the stuff isn't profitable (for o2) why would they continue to carry it?

 

[JBaker122586]

In reality I'm willing to wager a large amount of iPhone users have no clue that there is a new one going to be released,

I'm willing to take you up on that wager. Most people with a $400 or $500 phone right now have a decent knowledge of technology. Not to mention every tech website has had reports about the new iPhone, and I've seen coverage of it on CNN and Fox News.

 

[sananda]

it's not strange at all. the merchandise didn't move from the shelves before they put it on firesale. if the firesale price at which the consumers finally bought the stuff isn't profitable (for o2) why would they continue to carry it?

because there are customers willing to enter into the 18 month contract which costs a minimum of £630 who are being turned away.

 

[sjo]

because there are customers willing to enter into the 18 month contract which costs a minimum of £630 who are being turned away.

if there were such customers the iphones wouldn't have stayed in the shelves collecting dust. the few customers willing to do so made their contracts during the first days when o2 started to sell iphones, latest during the christmas holiday season. after that the sales were next to nonexistent.

 

[phalewhale]

I can't see what the point is here?
Apple is under no obligation to continue to make iPhones to satisfy you. (unless you are Steve in disguise)

I'm not asking Apple to satisfy me. I know of quite a few people who would like the current 8GB iPhone who are not concerned about having the latest and greatest. And, no - I'm not SJ in disguise...

I think your real complaint is that the 3G iPhone isn't out yet. Please change the title of your thread.

I can't deny that is part of my complaint, but I think you have failed to see the point of the original post, which is that not being able to sell iPhones to potential customers is unprofessional. Only Apple will know if the unavailability of iPhones was intentional or not... I simply thought it would make for a good discussion.

 

[sananda]

if there were such customers the iphones wouldn't have stayed in the shelves collecting dust. the few customers willing to do so made their contracts during the first days when o2 started to sell iphones, latest during the christmas holiday season. after that the sales were next to nonexistent.

they were flying out of the door at £169.

 

[phalewhale]

if there were such customers the iphones wouldn't have stayed in the shelves collecting dust. the few customers willing to do so made their contracts during the first days when o2 started to sell iphones, latest during the christmas holiday season. after that the sales were next to nonexistent.

In the UK, people rarely pay for handsets, and if they do, the majority do so in order to go on a PAYG tariff. Whilst I appreciate that the customer would pay for an iPod anyway, I would bet that the majority of people buying an iPhone would not take this into consideration.

£269 is a lot to shell out for a phone when you have to pay at least £35 per month for 18 months, which would continue for as long as you want an iPhone thereafter.

And your last point about the iPhone sales being non-existent after Xmas actually lends weight to the point I just made above. That is, customers in the UK felt that the price was too high for a phone with a lengthy and pretty expensive contract.

 

[manilikesmac]

i think they stopped making them online because the new 2.0 software may have some apps that need 3g, and cannot handle edge. and if people keep on buying th 1st gen and then those people cant buy those apps. apple could make money off of discontinuing the 1st gen before 3g because then people will buy more of the apps.
i dont know if i explained it right, its kind of hard, i cant get the right words out my keyboard.

 

[zap2]

They didn't intend to massively drop the iphone price by $200 US within 3 months of the launch.
.

No, they did. Are you saying it was a mistake they dropped the price?

They didn't intend to have their revenue sharing business model gone bust.
.

I wasn't aware that happened.