Apple CSR confirms: No iPhone 3G online sales, in-store activation a must
- July 2nd, 2008
- 7 Comments
Reader Steve has been chatting with Apple.com CSRs today - he’s already talked to two - and they’ve both confirmed my worst fears: you will not be able to order the IP3G online and it will only be available in stores and it will be activated in store, regardless. The transcript follows, CSR’s replies in bold.
What does this mean? It means getting an unlocked iPhone will be incrimentally harder and considerably more expensive. Even if you pay for the phone and cancel your contract for a $175 fee, the phone will cost around $500, all told. While this is good news for Apple and AT&T - the unlocking imperative just got quite expensive - it’s bad news for folks who haven’t yet gotten iPhones in their respective countries and/or T-Mobile fans who don’t want to switch to AT&T.
Hi, my name is Chris. Welcome to Apple!
Good morning.
Welcome back!
Good morning. I have a question about the iPhone
and the Activation process
Sure.
Will activation be the same as the previous version? Simply by using iTunes?
As previous agents had mentioned, activation will be done in store.
I was hoping for a different answer this time haha.
Unfortunately there is no different answer to give.
So will this be 1/2 activation in store and 1/2 at home? Or full activation at the store?
Unfortunately not all details are released yet.
Do I need to sign a contract w/AT&T at activation?
Are you currently with AT&T?
no
Okay, then yes, you would need to sign a contract.
Can I not just activate it without contract and use it as an iPod?
That is not an option, no…
However..
My current contract isn’t up for a while, my iPod nano died on me and I want to get an iPhone eventually…
If you just wanted the iPOd portion, we do offer the iPod touch
I’m going to switch to AT&T soon
when my contract is up
I see. Terrific. You can definitely get the iPhone once your contract is up.
I heard AT&T would allow us to use our iPhones as Wi-Fi iPods…
If you wanted that, as I mentioned, the iPod touch is actually exactly that.
But the iPhone needs to be activated for the feaures to work.
But I want to have the PHONE part when I switch (instead of having to buy TWO devices)
I understand…
You’ll have to wait until your contract is up if you wanted the iPhone.
I understand. However, to purchase the iPhone, you’ll need to sign the contract with AT&T
Wow. That REALLY isn’t a good deal.
Thanks for your help.
John (Who am I?)
5 months ago
It’s as if people just woke up to the fact that mobile carriers and phone manufacturers suck overall. Not just AT&T…each company involved wants to make their cut and there really are no great “deals”. The devices and services cost a lot to research, develop, build and maintain and that’s that. Any bad publicity the iPhone gets could be repeated 100 times over for any other phone! And really comparing the iPhone to a lousy RAZR that too many people shelled out $200 (or more) is just ridiculous. Certainly Apple could have made the iPhone and released it without partnering with AT&T…and that would have been revolutionary, but Apple didn’t want to deal with the headache of helping people work with their phone on this carrier or that carrier. They want some level of control and probably want one service to be held accountable for making sure things run smoothly. It’s really a non-issue and the fact that people keeping pointing out that you can’t buy the iphone for unlocking (as much as I’d like it) is silly.
Stacey C (Who am I?)
5 months ago
Yeah, Apple and AT&T are really screwing their third party resellers on this deal. As a technology provider for our clients, we are authorized resellers for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. We have taken alot of time and resources to switch our clients to our accounts so that we can order for them, as well as collect the commissions for the work we are providing to them. Most of them hate to go into the stores, they would rather call us. Now, for all the ones that absolutely must have iPhones, then they have to go back to the stores to order, where they will switch the accounts back under their BAN’s, collecting the commissions and locking us out of thousands of dollars in commissions from our own customers. We will then have to go through the process of switching them back.
To top it off, as resellers, we have access to special rate plans….but the special iPhone plans will not be made available to us. So, to carry around a walking advertisement for them, we have to pay full price on the rates…and end up sending our customers to them so that they can collect the commissions. I thought Apple was supposed to be the good guys??? Obviously not. If you factor in no spare batteries and no tethering…we will not be carrying, or advocating the iPhone or AT&T at all any more. It will not stop some of our clients from wanting them, and we will support them…but those that agree, we will be moving them to Sprint or Verizon whenever possible.
Big Dave (Who am I?)
5 months ago
299 - 16GB iPhone w/contract
$36 - Activation
$175 - Early Termination Fee
$70 - One month of service
Total Price Using Cancel Method: $580
So…
8GB iPhone Canceled: $480
16GB iPhone Canceled: $580
8GB iPhone Unlocked or Unsubsidized from AT&T: $599
16GB iPhone Unlocked or Unsubsidized from AT&T: $699
MB (Who am I?)
5 months ago
What the fuck!? Stupid pricks. Does this mean they won’t sell it in Apple stores and just AT&T stores? I’m with t-mobile and I will never go to AT&T, it’s for american idol loving homos.
Reply
StaceyC (Who am I?)
5 months ago
No, they will be avail in Apple stores…my mistake…
Marc (Who am I?)
5 months ago
T-Mobile + Iphone go in Europe = € 29,95 p/month (other prices are yet to be disclosed). See: http://www.t-mobile.nl/iphone/index.html
Conclusion: We are being played with here!
It’s like music businesses trying to hold on to an outdated way to make money. Mobile carriers have no special value to me at all. They are just there blocking the (real) future because it’s crystal clear “voice” should be an integrated part of the internet. It’s 2008 for heavens sake! This great Iphone thing just extended the live of these mobile dinosaurs for greedy reasons that DO NOT INTREST ME AT ALL. We pay way to much on a structural basis so for these little voice bits ‘n bytes.
bietz (Who am I?)
4 months ago
this seems to indicate that current iphone customers can get the iPhone at the lower rate…
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/14694.cfm