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UK Apple stores to sell iPhone 3G on launch after all
Author: Jose Castillo9 Jul
Conveniently, Apple’s Regent Street flagship store has “loads” of iPhones waiting to be sold, the alleged insiders say.
The reason behind the partial access isn’t known, though the update if true would stand as a last-minute save for the Cupertino, Calif.-based company that would prevent a potential imbalance O2 warned of last month: in late June, a company official cautioned that Apple stores might be locked out of offering anything but the simplest pay-as-you-go plans due to the absence of a proper sign-up system.
The extension of sales to Apple would also quash rumors that only American stores will be capable of signing up customers and activating their devices in-store. While it’s unknown exactly how many countries with Apple retail locations will also sell phones directly, the purported addition of UK sales would weaken arguments that Apple Canada can’t offer iPhone 3G for technical reasons and lend slightly more support to (since-denied) claims that Apple is punishing Rogers for scaring away customers with high data rates.
In addition to news of UK sales, Ars also hears that Apple has taken the extra precaution of excluding a SIM card from the iPhone box with the 3G model. An explanation for this isn’t given, though it not only lets the company sell the iPhone more easily through multiple carriers — it also prevents iPhones from leaving the store without an active account tied to the SIM card.
Apple retail chief on what to expect at Apple stores on Friday
Author: Jose Castillo8 Jul
Speaking to Bloomberg on Tuesday, Apple retail chief Ron Johnson offered some clarity on how his retail staffers will service droves of queued iPhone 3G hopefuls this Friday, how long each activation will take, and what kind of supply stores will have on hand.
A list of data points from Johnson’s interview follow:
- Apple Specialists should be able to activate customer accounts with AT&T within 15 minutes. “Our expectation is that in 10 to 15 minutes, you’ll be set up and ready to go,” Johnson said.
- Each of Apple’s 185 US-based retail stores aim to handle about 100 customers an hour.
- Apple Specialists will take 30 customers at a time from the line, bring them inside the store, activate their iPhones, then repeat.
- While Apple aims to make sure the activation process is a quick and painless process, it will also take care not to rush customers during their buying experience. “We’ll spend as long as it takes with our customers to make sure they’re happy with the phone,” Johnson said.
- On the issue of supply, Johnson said: “[There's] pent-up demand because we haven’t had phones for a while. Our goal is to always have enough supply for every customer.” Readers can read into that what they will…
- “To make sure customers aren’t buying handsets to resell overseas or modify them for use on unauthorized wireless networks, Apple will require customers to pay with a credit card and supply a Social Security number so the device is activated immediately.”
- Apple has no current plans to offer the iPhone 3G through its online store, Johnson said.
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