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What will be the secret to getting a 3G on or about July 11

H

hokeydays

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 28, 2008
12
0
I want a 3G on July 11, but don't want to camp. Evenn with the $30 data plan, I believe the lines will be miles long to get a $199 3g iphone.

Stores will sell out, so if I dont get July 11, then might have to wait a while.

Any tips on how to get one on 7/11?

Thanks.
 
The first iPhone didn't sell out on the first day, so I wouldn't expect this one to either. AT&T Stores will likely have shorter lines than Apple Stores, but they should both have plenty of stock at most locations.
 
I wouldn't worry about it. My ass was waiting in line on June 29, 2007 in Chico, California last summer in 95 degree heat and than I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale a couple days later and there were still tons of iPhones down there at the Apple store the Monday after the launch.

Plus, most of the "normal" public will be put off by the $30-35 dollar data plan that comes with the 3g iPhone. In this economy, ATT is making a big gamble that people would pay this much for a cell phone/data.....

Remember even though the $30 "iphone" data plan is the same price ATT charges for it's BB/Windows Mobile phones, these only make up less than 10% of ATT's regular customers. Will/Can ATT convince the average public to folk over that kinda of money for data. Cheap regular high speed home internet from Cox Cable at 768kps only costs $16.99 (in Fairfax County Virginia) so paying $30 is a lot of money in most people's mind.

Thus, I do not think the 3g iPhone will be hard to get.
 
Chaszmyr said:
The first iPhone didn't sell out on the first day, so I wouldn't expect this one to either. AT&T Stores will likely have shorter lines than Apple Stores, but they should both have plenty of stock at most locations.
Click to expand...

That's true, but they weren't $200, either. But I'm with you--I don't think they will sell out. I do believe, however, that they will sell more with the new pricing.
 
Chaszmyr said:
The first iPhone didn't sell out on the first day, so I wouldn't expect this one to either. AT&T Stores will likely have shorter lines than Apple Stores, but they should both have plenty of stock at most locations.
Click to expand...

This is untrue. especially if you live near a big city. I got in line at 2PM, and i was about 35th-40th in line at my AT&T store. People got there within minutes of after me.

Guess what happened? I waited 4 hours, and i got the last phone.

But even though some Apple stores still had iPhones, they're weren't many stores that did, and they ran out within a couple days after. I know Chicago was sold out.


I have to write reviews and get them out on Sunday night, so i really have no choice but to wait in line. You could possibly post an ad on craigslist saying you will let someone cut you for a price, making it worth it because you get paid for it, but not many people would agree with me on that. :D
 
aneftp said:
I wouldn't worry about it. My ass was waiting in line on June 29, 2007 in Chico, California last summer in 95 degree heat and than I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale a couple days later and there were still tons of iPhones down there at the Apple store the Monday after the launch.

Plus, most of the "normal" public will be put off by the $30-35 dollar data plan that comes with the 3g iPhone. In this economy, ATT is making a big gamble that people would pay this much for a cell phone/data.....

Remember even though the $30 "iphone" data plan is the same price ATT charges for it's BB/Windows Mobile phones, these only make up less than 10% of ATT's regular customers. Will/Can ATT convince the average public to folk over that kinda of money for data. Cheap regular high speed home internet from Cox Cable at 768kps only costs $16.99 (in Fairfax County Virginia) so paying $30 is a lot of money in most people's mind.

Thus, I do not think the 3g iPhone will be hard to get.
Click to expand...

You'd be surprise at how many people are actually paying for the data package. 10% seems low especially with the Blackberry boom. I notice more smartphones and than your basic round the phone phone.
 
djransom said:
You'd be surprise at how many people are actually paying for the data package. 10% seems low especially with the Blackberry boom. I notice more smartphones and than your basic round the phone phone.
Click to expand...


This is the exact quote from various new sources, " less than 20 percent of AT&T's postpaid subscribers have integrated devices capable of voice, Web and data applications" The 20% includes regular and smartphone users so it's a very safe assumption that probably only 10% of ATT customers are paying the $30 dollar data plans.

I will pay the $30 dollar data plan for the 3g iPhone....however I am single with no kids and disposable income. Most of the public will balk at the $30 data plan that excludes includes any text messaging.

I just wouldn't be worried about a sell-out of the 3g iPhone unless Apple keeps inventory low on purpose. There will be less resellers on the market until a hack is available, especially in light of ATT forcing you into a contract (unlike the first iPhone where any person could walk into a store and buy the iPhone outright and do whatever they wanted). It's too cumbersome to sign up for a contract, have to pay for a pro-rated cell phone bill and than get charged a 36 dollar activation fee and than try to cancel/resell the iphone and pay the ETF. The way they designed it is to prevent resellers from profiting.

Just imagine the original PS3 launch. I think surveys said 60% of people who were buying were planning to resale the PS3 for profit. Now if Sony required everyone to sign up for the PlayStation Network for a yearly contract (I know it's free) with every PS3 purchased, I think most people who really wanted a PS3 would have had one in the first few days it launched.
 
OK, here's the secret to getting an iPhone on 7/11. Please don't tell anyone because it's a secret. If everyone knows, it won't be a secret anymore.

  1. Go down to your local AT&T or Apple Store
  2. Make absolutely sure that the number of people in front of you in line (if there is a line) is less than or equal to 1/3 of the total number of iPhones in stock for the capacity/color you want. If you want a black 16GB phone and the store has 30, make sure you are number 10 in line just in case each person in front of you buys the limit of three in the same size and color.
  3. Have with you a credit card with enough room on it to buy an iPhone in your choice of capacity
  4. When you get to the front of the line, ask politely for the phone of your choice
  5. Have it activated
  6. Pay for it
  7. Go enjoy your phone

And most importantly, know that I am just teasing and am not in anyway trying to be rude. ;)

See you in line.
 
Depends on location.

Our AT&T stores sold out in like 45 minutes the first day.

The Apple Store still had them even throughout the end of the day.
 
Chaszmyr said:
The first iPhone didn't sell out on the first day, so I wouldn't expect this one to either. AT&T Stores will likely have shorter lines than Apple Stores, but they should both have plenty of stock at most locations.
Click to expand...

Lots of AT&T stores sold out on launch day because they had limited stock. Apple Stores a few hours after launch time is your best bet.
 
hokeydays said:
I want a 3G on July 11, but don't want to camp. Evenn with the $30 data plan, I believe the lines will be miles long to get a $199 3g iphone.

Stores will sell out, so if I dont get July 11, then might have to wait a while.

Any tips on how to get one on 7/11?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Stores won't sell out generally through the first weekend. They are going to have a bucketload of stock ready.
 
i don't foresee a problem with getting one at launch, the one thing that keeps me from getting it at launch though is apple's track record as of late with new products, there always to be something wrong with the initial offering, but they do fix it very quickly.
 
Get there early and go to an Apple store. My At&t store sold out quick but the Apple store still had iPhones. GL! :)
 
aneftp said:
Remember even though the $30 "iphone" data plan is the same price ATT charges for it's BB/Windows Mobile phones, these only make up less than 10% of ATT's regular customers.
Click to expand...

AT&T Has about 76 million subscribers nationally, even at 10% that is 7.6 million people. Which comes to an astounding $228,000,000 a month on only the $30 data plan.

Thank you have, have a nice day! :D
 
The AT&T store is probably your best bet for two reasons:

1) They'll recieve less of a crowd than the actual Apple store
2) The people activating the phones are more experienced at it, so it'll be quicker.
3) The Apple store is chaotic on any given day at any time for no reason. If there's a new iPhone, it'll be MOBBED! Think about your local AT&T store... it's usually got about 6 people in it.
 
Well ... here is my tip

I live in Minneapolis and we have 3 apple stores. the biggest apple store is in the mall of america. this store 'feeds' the other stores the inventory of computers, ipods and iphones so I figured that they would have the largest on hand inventory. the night of the big release I had one of my teenage employees go and stand in line for me and she was the 10th in line. I thought i was quite the genius and all I had to give her was a jamba juice gift card.

anyway, after i bought my iphone i told the manager what a great job her staff did that night and shared my strategy. she told me i could have skipped having someone stand in line because i was right in the first place: that store did carry a huge inventory because they were 'feeding' the other stores. so, my advice to you is: find the biggest apple store in your area and you will be okee dokee.

peace be with you and also with you
 
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