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When buying an iPhone on launch day..

C

cowsrus

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 17, 2008
326
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So right now I have the 3G and I bought it a couple months after launch at my AT&T store

However, I am on a family plan with 3 other people so it wasn't actually my upgrade that I used. I know you can do that and it's fine, you just have to tell the person what you are doing blah blah blah

Anyway, I am just wondering because i plan to get the iPhone 4 on launch day, how does launch day work for anyone who has been through it.
Seeing as how it is at the apple store, do they set up an AT&T counter so I can get the whole upgrade situation squared away, or do I have to buy it and then go down to the AT&T store right after.

Basically if someone can give me a rundown of what happens after you get inside the store from the line that'd be great
 
Why fight the crowd? Call AT&T pre-order and have it delivered to your house on launch day.
 
bigchief said:
Why fight the crowd? Call AT&T pre-order and have it delivered to your house on launch day.
Click to expand...

Is that how preorder works?
I always assumed the people waiting in the lines had already preordered
 
I'd like to know if it's worth it to get the phone on launch day. I've heard the quality of the first batch of phones is pretty low. Any truth to that?
 
ogdogg said:
I'd like to know if it's worth it to get the phone on launch day. I've heard the quality of the first batch of phones is pretty low. Any truth to that?
Click to expand...

with any product when it first comes out, sometimes there are problems that are only found out by the masses of people complaining about them

thankfully, if this does occur, Apple can replace your phone for the more updated,but same model, version.
I'm not sure if Apple has ever issued a recall like that, but you do get one year with your phone that, if any small thing happens to it without it looking like you just smashed it, Apple replaces it for a brand new phone.
 
cowsrus said:
with any product when it first comes out, sometimes there are problems that are only found out by the masses of people complaining about them

thankfully, if this does occur, Apple can replace your phone for the more updated,but same model, version.
I'm not sure if Apple has ever issued a recall like that, but you do get one year with your phone that, if any small thing happens to it without it looking like you just smashed it, Apple replaces it for a brand new phone.
Click to expand...
I thought the replacement was a refurb?
 
it seems somewhat pointless then that people would wait in lines all morning
though it sounds fun getting to talk to other people as excited as you

unless the shipping costs are like 35 bucks or something
 
Mystikal said:
Im gonna preorder and go to the store. I dont want to be sitting around all day anxious for UPS to come. I want my phone ASAP :D
Click to expand...

I think I'm with you on that. I mean if i know it will come june 18th im going to be spending the whole day at my house, and then after that the rest of the day playing with it, so why not get it in the morning and have the whole day to play with it?

Also, like i mentioned earlier, it's a lot of fun waiting with people who are enthusiastic about this stuff too, gives everyone in line something to talk about, so my friend and I will probably end up going together.

I remember back in the day I waited for the wii overnight on launch day, one of my most fun nerd nights
 
Mystikal said:
Im gonna preorder and go to the store. I dont want to be sitting around all day anxious for UPS to come. I want my phone ASAP :D
Click to expand...

Same here. This will be my first time getting an iPhone on launch day, and I'd much rather wait in a line with a bunch of other iPhone fans, then to just sit around and wait anxiously.
 
so nobody has really mentioned what goes on inside the apple store.

Like do they have AT&T workers there to get you squared away, or when preordering do they do all that work then..?
 
Well I got a 3g on launch day in 08, and they add apple employees inside the store with tablet like things where you fill out all your information and then that thing sends it to AT & T, then your phone is activated and it will work once you sync with iTunes which on launch day they wont do in the store.

Also beware iTunes gets hammered on launch day so be prepared to be without a phone for up to 6 hours.
 
If you go to the store to get it on launch day isn't there a chance they could run out of the phones before you get one? I'd hate to wait in line just to be told they are sold out and remember that I could have had it delivered to my house.
 
UnknownMacNoob said:
If you go to the store to get it on launch day isn't there a chance they could run out of the phones before you get one? I'd hate to wait in line just to be told they are sold out and remember that I could have had it delivered to my house.
Click to expand...

Thats why there is a limit on how many you can buy on that day. If they get to the point where they might run out theyll have a guy standing at the entrance to the line telling you there is a chance there wont be enough.
 
ARF900 said:
Thats why there is a limit on how many you can buy on that day. If they get to the point where they might run out theyll have a guy standing at the entrance to the line telling you there is a chance there wont be enough.
Click to expand...

I'm all down for the experience, since it will be my first iPhone, but I would not want that dream crushed by the possibility of not getting my baby on launch day. I know this is a total thread jack but to anyone who had it delivered on launch day, what time of day did you get it? Just like regular delivery time I'm assuming.
 
I like going into the store and getting it.

It's fun to get it in the morning, instead of waiting for the low hum of the Fedex truck all afternoon. I know it could possibly come 1 day early.

But if my phone does not work in the store they can immediately replace it, or I can deny it if I dislike anything about it.

Also you get to meet/talk to the other iPhone crazies!
 
UnknownMacNoob said:
I'm all down for the experience, since it will be my first iPhone, but I would not want that dream crushed by the possibility of not getting my baby on launch day. I know this is a total thread jack but to anyone who had it delivered on launch day, what time of day did you get it? Just like regular delivery time I'm assuming.
Click to expand...

I felt like getting it on launch day was worth the line, its a really good experience and a lot of fun. The employees let you play with the phone while your waiting, they even went across the street to Duncan Donuts and brought everyone donuts and coffee. I got the phone at 1 PM and I went past the store at 4-5 that day and they were still selling people phones. They get plenty. If you live near the store its worth it.
 
UnknownMacNoob said:
I'm all down for the experience, since it will be my first iPhone, but I would not want that dream crushed by the possibility of not getting my baby on launch day. I know this is a total thread jack but to anyone who had it delivered on launch day, what time of day did you get it? Just like regular delivery time I'm assuming.
Click to expand...

keep in mind that, if they follow the trend of the 3GS, after they announce the iPhone at the WWDC, we will be able to preorder said phone

I'm not sure exactly how the preorder works (delivery vs in store options) but I would assume that if you preorder, there isn't an option that you wouldnt get a phone at the store
 
doubleatheman said:
I like going into the store and getting it.

It's fun to get it in the morning, instead of waiting for the low hum of the Fedex truck all afternoon. I know it could possibly come 1 day early.

But if my phone does not work in the store they can immediately replace it, or I can deny it if I dislike anything about it.

Also you get to meet/talk to the other iPhone crazies!
Click to expand...

Lol, iPhone crazies! :D

I like doing the store thing too. Especially since a couple phones out of the box, were visually defective. It's nice to do a swap right there.
 
So wait, this is making launch day sound better and better

You get to play with your phone before buying it?
How long do you get to be in store/with a representative?
 
We only have one ATT store where we live, and it's a zoo every day of the week, iPhone launch or not. You have to sign in (wtf?) and state what you came for. Now when I had Sprint you just walk in and don't have to do that mess. You get people asking how to turn on/off their phone and talking to a rep for 45 mins, it does get pretty aggravating. :(
 
troop231 said:
We only have one ATT store where we live, and it's a zoo every day of the week, iPhone launch or not. You have to sign in (wtf?) and state what you came for. Now when I had Sprint you just walk in and don't have to do that mess. You get people asking how to turn on/off their phone and talking to a rep for 45 mins, it does get pretty aggravating. :(
Click to expand...

Ive experienced that sort of AT&T crowd, but only for about 2 months after iPhone launch

Hey, having them talk about how to turn their phone off is better than waiting 30 min at the genius bar because the old lady in front of you is threatening to sue the apple representative she talked to because she clearly saw him break her phone and now the speakers won't work.
...he turned the silence switch on and she wouldnt listen
 
cowsrus said:
So wait, this is making launch day sound better and better

You get to play with your phone before buying it?
How long do you get to be in store/with a representative?
Click to expand...

15 mins, but if you want to play with it longer before actually committing to that phone:

Play dumb, ask what mobile me is, ask what apple care is, ask about some of the features, ect ect.

The whole time the poor rep goes through his speech, you get to look over your phone...

Typically with no questions, it takes like 10 mins for activation, but I was the first iPhone 3gs that the guy activated (I was like 6th inline, so they were still new to it.) Also the At&t system was a bit bogged down, so the system was trying to load up the activation.
 
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