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Why does everyone want an iPhone 5 on launch day?

It's the same reason cats lick their privates...because we can. :D
Whenever I got my iphone, I got it on launch day because I was excited. For the iphone 4, I did wait until otterbox came out with their defender case; I knew that me and the glass would lead to tears and sadness if naked.
I can't get this year's phone, since I'm not working:(; otherwise, I'd have participated in the pre-order madness.
 
I don't want it at all. :cool: Not because it isn't cool and all, or because it's not a great upgrade, but because I just bought a great condition 16GB 4S for $280 from a member here. :D

Honestly, I don't want the latest and greatest, and I would never even NEED an iPhone at all! I currently have a Lumia 900 but bought the 4S because prices are good right now and diversity of gadgets is nice. ;) (also I'm on ATT and can swap out the SIM to change phones whenever I like :D)
 
I don't like to think of myself as an Apple whore, but staying up past 3:00am the last two years for a phone is kinda inexcusable. I just enjoy using the phone a lot to the point where I want the newest one no matter what. I've been lucky to use upgrades every year since I got the 3G in 2009 right before the 3GS came out (didn't get that one until they gave me a replacement down the road when the 3G was pretty much extinct).
 
jamied95 said:
This launch, more than any other, seems to have attracted a much wider variety of people, many of whom are not readers of Macrumors, the kind of people who do it due to the new tech, or their fanboyism (guilty, as charged), but still "need" the iPhone 5 on launch day.

But why do they "need" it? What is causing all these people to suddenly decide that they "need" it on launch day, not 2 weeks after, when last year, they didn't care?

The only reason I can possibly think of is to show off, a status symbol, but what is the point in showing off a phone that a predicted 8 million people are going to have by Monday? It's not exclusive anymore, it's not a symbol of technological superiority, it's not something rare and treasured, it isn't suddenly going to make you popular and yet so many people aspire to have one.

Most importantly, what happens when these people realise this? There'll obviously still be a market for 40/50 year olds who just want something that works, but the younger market's going to move on, surely?

I'm sure this comes across as all sorts of things, but it's a genuine question, don't hate.
Click to expand...

It's not really about status for me. I've owned every iPhone since the original; have waited in line for two of them. I pre-ordered once, only to have the order canceled (so I had to wait in line regardless).

My reasoning is this: I travel a lot for work. Ordering online is hard because I don't know if I'll be around to sign for it. Additionally, I have a 4s on Verizon and the 3G service is really slow. Given that I don't know what kind of stock Apple will have on hand over the coming weeks, and given my work schedule, I just can't "pop in" to check. It's easier (and worth the effort) for me to just queue up on launch day and get it out of the way.
 
For me, and I suspect a lot of other people, it's not status so much. That may be the case when someone gets an iPhone for the first time, but I don't think the status symbol is as important after you've already had an iPhone. People aren't as impressed, I guess.

I get the new iPhone for the same reason that I get a new MBP every four years: because I want it. Most of my day consists of using my notebook and iPhone. I think it's perfectly apropos to buy the latest and greatest of something that you use on a daily basis; something that is integral to one's life. I think it's perfectly reasonable to want something like a new iPhone as soon as it comes out, because you can do more things and perform regular actions faster.

Makes total sene to me.
 
This year I don't care. Heck I just finally decided to order one yesterday. Last year I had to have mine the first day and was up at three in the morning pre-ordering. But that was my first iPhone. I had been using a busted Droid for four months waiting for its release.(moved to VZW and bought an old cheap droid as a placeholder waiting for the 4S release)
 
I kind of think it's because of scarcity as well as status. There's probably a lot of people out there who know the iPhone is so popular, that there's no telling when will be a good time to get them once they are released. As well, having one early makes people feel like they beat the flood of phones into the market. So they get to have a status symbol that they feel they worked for, and it will last a few months before, 'everyone's' got one. By then, lineups are nonexistent and fans are on to the next craze, iPad, iPad Mini, MacBook Pro, etc.

This has become one strange form of consumer entertainment! I mean, it can be fun and all, but it's hardly productive, and maybe that's the point.
 
If I could get one at launch I would as well. If I wasn't already contracted that is. I don't see the problem with it.
 
jamied95 said:
But why do they "need" it? What is causing all these people to suddenly decide that they "need" it on launch day, not 2 weeks after, when last year, they didn't care?
Click to expand...

You really miss the whole point. It has nothing to do with need. It's "want". I have always bought my iPhone's 2 - 3 months after launch. I've had 3 out of the 5 previous phones. This time I decided I would get one immediately on launch date. Just something different and I "wanted" it, didn't really need it:).
 
1: It's fun

2: You never know when you might be sent to Libya or Afghanistan so have fun while you can stateside

3: Wife wants your 4S yesterday because she dropped her 3GS in the toilet

4: Maximize time till next upgrade for iPhone 5S

5: It's my time and money, so kiss my ass. I'll do what I want.
 
I haven't gone for a phone on launch day, but I've gone for other products on launch day and did other similar things that didn't involve purchasing. Status is certainly a motivator for some people, but for me and many others, it's just part of the fun. We want to see what's new, what's different, and what's improved; we want to see how it can make our lives easier and/or more productive. It's an exciting prospect, and there's a satisfaction associated with making it happen sooner rather than later. (It's also somewhat painful to wait, especially if you're very excited and heavily anticipating something.)
 
I think you're confusing cause and effect. Showing off the iPhone is an effect of being an early adopter, not a cause.

One of the reasons more people want it ASAP (2 million vs 1 million last time, and 0.6 million the time before that) is that more people in general want an iPhone.

Another is that this one is both not only a new design (in spite of what tech blogs will have you think), but also redesigned in a way that will more fundamentally affect usage compared to past updates.

For me, exclusivity has nothing to do with why I want it ASAP (though I do like the idea of being one of the first). Why I'm so excited is because I like new things, I like Apple things, and there are features in iPhone 5 that I'm highly excited about.
 
jamied95 said:
This launch, more than any other, seems to have attracted a much wider variety of people, many of whom are not readers of Macrumors, the kind of people who do it due to the new tech, or their fanboyism (guilty, as charged), but still "need" the iPhone 5 on launch day.

But why do they "need" it? What is causing all these people to suddenly decide that they "need" it on launch day, not 2 weeks after, when last year, they didn't care?

The only reason I can possibly think of is to show off, a status symbol, but what is the point in showing off a phone that a predicted 8 million people are going to have by Monday? It's not exclusive anymore, it's not a symbol of technological superiority, it's not something rare and treasured, it isn't suddenly going to make you popular and yet so many people aspire to have one.

Most importantly, what happens when these people realise this? There'll obviously still be a market for 40/50 year olds who just want something that works, but the younger market's going to move on, surely?

I'm sure this comes across as all sorts of things, but it's a genuine question, don't hate.
Click to expand...

Because I've been waiting 2 years and 2 months to for a new phone.
 
People want it on launch day for a variety of reasons.

1) They would pay the same amount of money if they got it on launch day or 9 months later.

2) Contract date. The sooner you start your new contract, the sooner you will be able to upgrade.

3) Get's you the most mileage out of your iPhone. If you upgrade every year then you'll get to use your iPhone more before upgrading.

4) Time...time is a huge factor. If you don't get it on launch day it could take weeks before you can get another chance to get it. If you pre ordered online and failed to order it on the 14th then you won't get your iPhone for at least 2-3 weeks.
 
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