iPhone Debut Screwed Up By AT&T

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Vincent @ Jul 1 2007, 01:11 PM) [snapback]471083[/snapback]</div>

I'm sure this was considered. And I wouldn't be surprised if there was an "out" should AT&T fail to keep up their end of the agreement. AT&T is being bombarded with activations right now. While I'm sure Apple considered the iPhone buying frenzy, I'll bet AT&T thought it was greatly exagerated and that they could handle the demand. Obviously they underanticipated. But I'll bet they're working 24/7 gangbusters now because they don't want fingers pointing at them. People are unhappy enough with the lock, length of contract, et al.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jul 1 2007, 11:53 AM) [snapback]471100[/snapback]</div>

Even if AT&T gets its act together with the activation issue. There is still the question about the speed of its network. Edge is pure torture for web use. Remember how stark the difference between dial-up at 56K was when compared to DSL???? Well, the same applies to Edge vs. EV-DO. And being able to access a Wi-Fi hot spot is small consolation - do you want to be tethered to the hot spot?

It is just my opinion, but I think Apple will be as frustrated with its choice of wireless partner as it was with its choice of IBM to provide the PowerPC CPU. Hopefully, there is an escape clause in the contract with AT&T.

 

Did at&t quietly improve Edge data transfer rates?

How often are you going to rely on Edge for websurfing? It will be interesting to see if most iPhone users just wait until they're in a hotspot.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jul 1 2007, 12:40 PM) [snapback]471118[/snapback]</div>

That is the un-answered question. My personal experience is that I do not tether myself to WiFi hotspots (I have a Blackberry 8703 with the Sprint EVDO data service that is connected via USB to my notebook; as long as I have coverage (which for me is everywhere I have had a requirement to travel so far), I am getting ~400 - 600 kbps downloads). There is also an issue with the speed of the hotspot - with a lot of users sharing the connection, you are back to dial-up speeds....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ Jul 1 2007, 02:58 PM) [snapback]471123[/snapback]</div>

I just downgraded my home cable internet to the budget $20 a month 150KB/s transfer. That's all you really need unless you really really really like streaming HD video with no buffering. I still download all sorts of torrents and play xbox live just fine. I can't imagine needing more on a freaking PHONE than I would at home.

I also have an iPhone now. =P

 

I spent some time talking to the guys at our local AT&T store yesterday. AT&T had planned for plenty of capacity for activations, the problem is the other carriers. Many of the people buying the iPhone were coming from other carriers and wanting to bring their phone number with them - this put a considerable strain on all the carriers, and took up a lot of time for the AT&T people waiting on hold for other carriers, slowing down the process for everyone.

Af fort he speed of the network... It is what it is, and frankly i never expect to be doing a ton of browsing anywhere i don't have wifi to use. Maybe to look up some movie times or directions... but it won't be a huge deal.

 

Well, there are two votes for slower speed to one for higher speed. I guess only time will tell what the market wants.

 

Well - I just switched to ATT telephone and DSL. There customer service has to be about the worst ever.

You are on hold for twenty minutes, then when you do get someone live, they say you need someone else, then 20 minute hold, this went on where you need 4 different departments to get billing and order straight. Heaven forbid if there is a real problem.


And this was before the iPhone

 

What I kinda wonder about is how many people are buying the iPhone because they really need to be able to surf the web from their cell phone, and how many are buying it because they think they need the latest gadget, even if it really doesn't do anything useful?

I got the Nokia N800 (a fraction of the cost and no contract fees) because I wanted to be able to check my email and maybe get a weather report from my hotel room when I travel, without having to lug a 6-lb laptop. It will stay in the hotel room and I'll check my email in the evening and the weather report in the morning.

The problem with the iPhone is that, being a web browser, it's too darn big to carry around easily. And I'd certainly not switch from Verizon to AT&T just to be able to buy the latest useless gadget.

 

Why would anyone pay a premium for an iphone on ebay. Can't you just get it from apple.com?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Jul 2 2007, 12:24 AM) [snapback]471350[/snapback]</div>

No waiting?

Apparently a lot of the Apple Stores are sold out. If the online store has them on backorder the only way to get one NOW is from someone that bought two and is selling one on eBay.

That kind of instant gratification I don't need.

Of course, I don't own a cell phone or an iPod or any other mp3 player.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ Jul 1 2007, 03:11 PM) [snapback]471107[/snapback]</div>

EDGE works fine in South Florida. No problems at all. Sorry that you think otherwise.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jul 2 2007, 01:39 AM) [snapback]471357[/snapback]</div>

Bought mine on Saturday with no line at all at a APPLE Store. I was first in the door, grant you, at 9 AM, but still, no line. No fuss, no muss. Took it home, and all is well.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jul 1 2007, 07:36 PM) [snapback]471186[/snapback]</div>

I love the phone, and being able to surf the web, with full web access, and not some smart phone sized browser, is really keen. I am using it now, just for kicks, but earlier I sued it at Barnes & Noble, after first using the Google to find the Barnes & Noble, click on the link on Google for a map to the place, and also to call from that same click to see if they had the book I was looking for.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jul 1 2007, 06:36 PM) [snapback]471186[/snapback]</div>

People will buy the iPhone because:

1) They like to buy the latest tech thing
2) They think it makes them look cool, especially young customers
3) It is from Apple, which has a devoted set of customers that will buy any product they make and think it is the greatest thing ever.
4) Business users want the "always on line" capability.

Problem is, with the consolidation of service in the cell phone industry today down to basically 3 major players there have to be a LOT of customers buying a product to make it profitable. I am sure the iPhone will be successful as a product for Apple, but I wonder if AT&T will see it as a success for them. Apparently Verizon turned down the chance to be the exclusive provider. Knowing Verizon, they did so because they didn't think the business justification was there and they don't usually make mistakes in that area.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Jul 2 2007, 12:24 AM) [snapback]471350[/snapback]</div>

Very, very good question. Most of the answer comes from expectations.

Recent super hyped products (think PS3, Wii, etc) have had horrible supply issues. In fact, it can still be hard to find a Wii, 8 months after release. The consumer has generally come to accept that the hot items they want won't be available immediately after release unless they stand in a long line.

Orders from apple.com are projected to ship within 2-4 weeks for the iPhone.

Ordering one from an AT&T store (almost all of these stores were sold out friday night) has a similar delay.

Apple stores, on the other hand, had plenty to meet demand. As of close of business on Sunday, it was estimated that 84% of Apple stores still had iPhone stock. Interestingly, this is both good and bad. "experts" have estimated that Apple sold half a million iPhones this weekend, way more than the previously projected 200k. Due to that, some have increased their expectations of iPhone sales over the next year. However, others decreased their expectations when they found out that Apple didn't sell out within the first few hours because Demand wasn't high enough. I only ask... how high does demand need to be? The Wii, arguably the most successful product launch this decade (prior to last weekend ), sold just under half a million it's first month. Apple beats that in 2.5 days and it's not successful enough for some people?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(05_SilverPri @ Jul 2 2007, 08:42 AM) [snapback]471450[/snapback]</div>

Most of the carriers are counting on stealing customers from each other rather than bringing in new customers. That said, is Apple looking to steal most of the Blackberry market? What other high-end phone is close to what they're offering?

Verizon wanted to do repairs and also push their own software. Apple said no.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jul 2 2007, 09:52 AM) [snapback]471477[/snapback]</div>

They are planning on going after the blackberry market, and it makes sense. in late Q3, a company (can't remember the name) is coming out with exchange server support for the iPhone. Basically, this means that corporate customers will be able to access their corporate e-mail from their iPhone, much like the blackberry does. I've also heard rumors that editing office documents (word, excel, powerpoint) is under works but not ready yet.

One survey i read of this morning said that half of their respondents switched from another carrier to AT&T for the iPhone. Granted, the survey was unscientific, but at the same time it's pretty interesting.

 

I have been with Cingular now AT&T for the past 2 years. A large portion of there network offers 3G which is much faster then EDGE.

If the web browser is percieved as slow I think it is more a limitation of the IPhone then a limitation of the network.

 

Got my iPhone on Sunday because my crackberry was run over by a truck on Saturday. (I really didn't planit that way!) Looked at getting another berry because I really like t-mobile, but at $350 for the 880, I said what the heck and got the iPhone. No line just showed up at 10 am in Brea and got one. Of course they sold out 15 minutes later. apparently they get a couple dozen phones a day. I don't know if this is a production issue or just a way for Apple to keep the frenzy up!

ATT took about 36 hours to have the phone active to receive calls, eventhough I could make calls after a couple of hours (and downloading iTunes7.3, all 47 mb of it!). ATT is probably the only phone company, other than t-mobile that I have used and DON'T have a negaive opinion of, so we'll see how their acquisition of Cingular has affected their customer service.

All in all, the iPhone is a QUANTUM leap (bah, ba ba, baa, ba ba, buh, ba) above all other phones. Not so much for what is does but for how it does it! The phone makes the technology accessable. Which cannot be said for any others. (eventhough I didn't have any complaints about the berry 7100)