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Verizon iPhone Launches to Short Lines, Cold Temperatures

rstansby said:
I think it is interesting that everybody focuses on that aspect of the response, while ignoring the free bumpers, and all the documentation that apple provided to show that other smart phones behave similarly.
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So in other words it's OK to speak to your customers as though they're idiots.

Giving out a 50 cent bumper (Apples Cost) was not out of kindness. It was a reaction to the push back from pissed of customers. A free bumper from a multi-billion dollar company is no big deal. Especially as a band aid to cover up an engineering defect Jobs knew about in advance but shipped it anyway.

Just goes to show "the Gullibles" will go for anything. :)

You've got to give him credit fir what he's able to get away with.
 
Look at that picture...that has to be embarrassing for Apple...to see a store full of staff waiting for customers. I've never seen a product launch fail for Apple before this one.
 
CMK0110 said:
I think we're seeing a few things at work here.

1) Most of the people who refused to leave Verizon's network for the iPhone rushed to pre-order last week. There isn't a massive untapped audience for the iPhone. If people wanted it bad enough, they would have gone to AT&T already. This phone is for those who couldn't bring themselves to sacrifice service for a device.

2) The AT&T - Verizon iPhone war is just getting started and this first round isn't a fair fight. Customers' contracts aren't up right now and many don't see it worth it to change to a carrier mid-cycle for a phone they already have. Over time people will now have the choice of choosing the network they see best fit. AT&T had a huge head start and that wasn't going to change over night.
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You're right on with this assessment.

I'm a Verizon customer who would have switched to AT&T in a second to get an iPhone, but they simply do not work where I live. What i'd have ended up with would be an iPod Touch.

As an existing Verizon customer, I could have pre-ordered and had an iPhone 4 in my hands Monday.. my younger brother couldn't get rid of his Blackberry Storm fast enough.. but to me, it just seems silly to spend $200 and lock myself into another 2 year contract for an iPhone 4 when the iPhone 5 is sure to be released in just a few short months.

My current contract isn't up yet.. so my choices are to either add a new line and give my Palm Pre to my daughter, or pay full price for the iPhone.

If i'm going to go through that expense, i'd rather do it for the iPhone5.

I waited this long.. what's a few more months?
 
Back from picking up two new ViPhones at a Northern Va Apple store. Associate to customer ratio was about 5-1, but the customers that were there were getting the Verizon iPhone. The associate told me they had about 80 preorders for the store, which seems fairly low.

After an hour with the new phone though, for me it was 100 percent the right decision. Not only have I gotten rock solid reception and data all the way into DC, but the phone worked while on the Metro underground - AT&T only works in a very few select stations and not in the tunnels at all.

Data rates in similar locations have been much more consistent for Verizon.
 
Unless you really want an iPhone 4, another 2 year contract, and one that only works on Verizon in the US - then go buy...

I would imagine most are waiting for the iPhone 5 (which will combine all technologies for use on all carriers) just a few months away...
 
I can't tell if all the haters here are rooting for Verizon to fail or what?

It's an Apple iPhone people. Who really gives a rats ass what carrier it's on?
 
stockscalper said:
Looks like the long lines are actually over at the AT&T stores. Seems that folks have finally figured out that unlimited mobile to mobile calling, rollover minutes, simultaneous talk and data use, international services and up to two times data speed are important features to have. :p
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Cue up the moronic "but with Verizon I can make a call" posts.
 
Congratulations Verizon. First you cripple a great phone (pathetic global support, slower access, and no multitasking of voice/data), then you raised the price of entry with a mandatory $30/mo Data Plan, and now you embarress Apple with this failed product launch. I've never seen so many Apple employees stand around at one time. Has Apple ever had a product launch failure before this one?

I hope this doesn't impact my Apple Stock....but it is down $2 today.
 
I'm glad

I actually ordered the iPhone 4 online yesterday only to cancel it today after reports that lines were low. I really didn't want to wait just to have it shipped in 2 weeks when I can seemingly go get one in-store this weekend.

As for me, I initially was resistant to the idea of getting an iPhone 4, chiefly because, as we are aware, iPhone 5 is around the corner and there's little doubt that this will be a phone compatible with both carriers with some other tweaks.

However, Verizon has been on record of saying that their current unlimited data plans will cease to exist in the near future. So, it seems that the release of the iPhone 5 would be a perfect time for them to make that switch. Also, just as there wasn't a ton of changes between the iPhone 3G and 3GS, I don't expect to see a ton of changes in the coming 5. Sure, there might be a few megapixel difference in the camera and a dual core chip, but I can't see a complete design overhaul with the iPhone 5. The dual core chip will be nice, but you're looking at a scenario where developers will have to figure out how to best leverage their apps, so we wouldn't see much performance differences in anything but apps that use heavy graphics (games) or computations. While those differences look huge on paper, not sure if I justify holding out for it and risk losing the option for unlimited data when iPhone 6 will likely be a larger leap forward and I can just wait 20 months to upgrade to that when it is out in 2012.

To me, while the shortsighted downside is not having the most up-to-the-minute phone, the long term benefits is having that unlimited data. That is what is making me pull the trigger now. Just things to think about if those out there are still on the fence.

Again, this is just one observers opinion. Either way, people will be happy with their iPhones 4s now or their iPhone 5 later.
 
I know of 2 VZW iPhones to be sold, neither were EVER going to be "wait in line". Me and my mother. She absolutely detests her Storm, but for whatever reason decided to wait for the 5 in June.

I am stuck waiting for an in-law on my current TMobile plan. She is on a month-long trip, and I can't just turn off her phone in the middle of it. So it will be March sometime for me at the earliest. IDK, maybe I'll end up waiting for June, too. I'll just have to see what I feel like next month when they get back home. Mostly, I don't see any reason to not get the 4, it has everything I'm concerned about in a smartphone.

Although, I could see my dad just showing up at home some day (today, tomorrow, a month from now) with new iPhones for both of my parents, even though he seems happy with his Droid. He does weird impulse buys of electronics.
 
lilmacdaddy said:
However, Verizon has been on record of saying that their current unlimited data plans will cease to exist in the near future. So, it seems that the release of the iPhone 5 would be a perfect time for them to make that switch. Also, just as there wasn't a ton of changes between the iPhone 3G and 3GS, I don't expect to see a ton of changes in the coming 5. Sure, there might be a few megapixel difference in the camera and a dual core chip, but I can't see a complete design overhaul with the iPhone 5. The dual core chip will be nice, but you're looking at a scenario where developers will have to figure out how to best leverage their apps, so we wouldn't see much performance differences in anything but apps that use heavy graphics (games) or computations. While those differences look huge on paper, not sure if I justify holding out for it and risk losing the option for unlimited data when iPhone 6 will likely be a larger leap forward and I can just wait 20 months to upgrade to that when it is out in 2012.
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Good reasoning. All the folks in this thread rejoicing over Verizon's "failure" will be noticeably absent in the future MR thread talking about the millions of sales made in the first weeks. Meanwhile those of us who can finally get an iPhone will lock in unlimited data, will see a slightly revised iPhone 5 in summer, and then we'll be the ones ready to jump on the big iPhone 6 revision in 2012 when we get LTE, etc.

Those who wait until summer to see what the next revision will bring will be disappointed. Either it will be AT&T only, or it will be for Verizon also but not the big jump the people here assume it will be. So then they will buy their iPhone 5, and a year later the great iPhone 6 will be out and they'll still be under contract and we'll be ready to switch.
 
ordered online yesterday 12:30 am pacific time,
cancelled it last night around 7 pm.
I was not so sure to have this no-talk-and-data-iphone at this moment..
that's so not a smart phone in my opinion and guess i'll just wait till june and see what comes out..
 
Gemütlichkeit said:
smart people are having them shipped to their door
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I correctly predicted that I would be able to waltz right into my choice of stores and pick up a phone on launch day. I'm still on the fence though. Really the only reason I would wait would be for issues of durablity, size and weight that iPhone 5 might improve over iPhone 4. If anyone can address that with any certainty, please do.

BTW, as a Verizon customer, I have a 3.5 year old Samsung flip phone. Customer service was extreemly nice to me last time I called and didn't fail to point out I could get a new phone any time I wanted. Having an "expired" phone has great benefits. I can take my phone and smash it against a brick wall any time I want. Drop it on the floor. Possibly let it fall out of a pocket on the subway. Whatever. If I buy a new phone, I have something new to worry about. Since my girlfriend and I are on the same plan, we'll both be getting new phones. That's $1200 worth of phones that, from what I hear, have all the resilience of a wine glass.

And then there's the fact that I'm use to waiting. And, if I really wanted all the features that a smart phone will bring, I probably would have addressed that issue some time ago. Don't get me wrong, I want one, but I might just wait a little longer. I'll also be traveling in Europe for four weeks starting late May, so my perceived wait is even shorter.
 
spatlese44 said:
I correctly predicted that I would be able to waltz right into my choice of stores and pick up a phone on launch day. I'm still on the fence though. Really the only reason I would wait would be for issues of durablity, size and weight that iPhone 5 might improve over iPhone 4. If anyone can address that with any certainty, please do.

BTW, as a Verizon customer, I have a 3.5 year old Samsung flip phone. Customer service was extreemly nice to me last time I called and didn't fail to point out I could get a new phone any time I wanted. Having an "expired" phone has great benefits. I can take my phone and smash it against a brick wall any time I want. Drop it on the floor. Possibly let it fall out of a pocket on the subway. Whatever. If I buy a new phone, I have something new to worry about. Since my girlfriend and I are on the same plan, we'll both be getting new phones. That's $1200 worth of phones that, from what I hear, have all the resilience of a wine glass.

And then there's the fact that I'm use to waiting. And, if I really wanted all the features that a smart phone will bring, I probably would have addressed that issue some time ago. Don't get me wrong, I want one, but I might just wait a little longer. I'll also be traveling in Europe for four weeks starting late May, so my perceived wait is even shorter.
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:confused:
 
kdarling said:
It's really cold right now in a lot of the country. We're talking frostbite in 30 minutes or less.

That's one good reason Apple usually launches iPhones during the summer... so people can be outside and happy. Well, that, and so people don't notice right away that they can't do anything on the phone while wearing gloves ;)

Smart people order online instead.

Also, with the first iPhone, people had six months' warning to get ready to buy. With this one, there's been what, a few weeks?
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It is often really hot in June/July. Why don't they launch in late May or September? Verizon customer have been waiting for years I find it hard to believe that two weeks notice really hampered them.

Most that really wanted it ordered online. Many others are waiting until June for iPhone 5
 
ArchaicRevival said:
You make a good point, but what if Apple has a good reason not to combine CDMA and GSM technologies into one device, and cell two different devices? I personally don't see why they would do that but still.

So if there's a new AT&T iPhone this summer, doesn't necessarily mean there's gonna be a new Verizon iPhone...


Who knows :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Wrong. The iPhone was torn apart the other week, and it has a dual band CDMA/GSM world mode chip, or something to that effect. My best guess is that the next iPhone will be the same model, regardless of carrier, and it will be able to be used worldwide.

packs2011 said:
There will always be something new coming out. Why put off a purchase for another 4-5 months, maybe more? If you get the iphone 4 now, sign a 2 year contract, you will be eligible for the iphone 6 in October 2012 (20 months you can upgrade at discounted price)
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I believe they announced this is the last time you can use the "New Every Two" deal on Verizon. Highly disappointing, but that throws a wrench in the whole upgrade cycle you outlined. Theoretically, if the next iPhone uses the same data plan, you can just pay for a new iPhone, and put it in the place of your current iPhone, much like many customers do on AT&T

bstr said:
Apple brought this on themselves. They chose not to license the OS and chose to go with exclusive carrier agreements. If there were other iOS smartphone form factors, the iphone may not be #1, yet the platform would be stronger. That was short sighted. If they had gone with all worldwide carriers or as many as possible right from the beginning, there would be no Android to speak of. That decision was also short sighted. They were greedy and it backfired.

Now the platform is stagnating while Android continues to show record growth. It sounds like WebOS may be on track and Nokia/MS may have some synergy. Not hold my breath on the last two, but Apple had the smartphone market in its greedy little palm a year or two ago and are apparently paying the price for the desire to have absolute control.

Still, Apple will continue with record profits with minority market share as they have been doing for many years. I've owned macs and ipods for many years, but disagree with the ios approach so I prefer high end Android devices.
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They weren't greedy about it. They like to keep everything locked down as tightly as possible. Apple will most likely bring both iPhones into the same design path next time, so they have 1 phone, pick your carrier. They don't like devices with different specs all over the place, like Android has. Some of the phones are nice, but some of them are stuck on older distros of Android, even though they are pretty new phones. Apple doesn't like that kind of fragmentation, hence, they kept the platform at 1 phone, 1 refresh a year, and released the Verizon iPhone to get their foot in the door there as well.
 
I thought the craigslist post below was pretty funny. Think he knows?



VERIZON IPHONE 4 - $750 (Milwaukee,WI)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2011-02-09, 11:31PM CST
Reply to: sale-rzjqg-#######@craigslist.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Brand new in box Verizon iPhone 4. 16gb and 32gb available. 248-982-####. Text.


Location: Milwaukee,WI
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
 
NoExpectations said:
Look at that picture...that has to be embarrassing for Apple...to see a store full of staff waiting for customers. I've never seen a product launch fail for Apple before this one.
Click to expand...

This isn't an "Apple Product Launch", it's a Verizon launch first and foremost ... the iPhone 4 launched in June 2010 and was a huge success, as proven by the sales figures and earnings posted by Apple. Apple are simply opening their stores so Verizon customers can come in early if they want, but this is very much carrier specific sales we're talking about.

The only people who will go and queue are people who want a VERIZON iPhone 4, whereas people who are in the market for an iPhone 4 will simply wait until they can go into an AT&T store or an Apple store at their convenience and pick up a unit.
 
If I had the money...

... I'd be the first in line to get one. But I simply cannot afford an iPhone right now. But when I find a full time job, that and a new(er) car are going to be some of the first purchases out of that first paycheck.
 
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