Filed under: Cult of Mac, Apple, iPhone
Why weren't you in line this morning?
We don't want to imply that the iPhone 3G S launch was a dud. There's reports out that the 3G S may have sold more units than the 3G on opening day, but even more reports are coming in that the lines and general mayhem at Apple and AT&T stores were much more subdued this year than in previous years. There's a lot of speculation as to why, but we at TUAW figured we'd go straight to the source and ask our dear readers. Why weren't you in line this morning?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Eric said 9:07PM on 6-19-2009
Yeah... I didn't see enough in the 3GS to purchase it. I just got my 3G back in February, so I'd have to pay a little extra to get one and I just didn't see it worth it. There are only two big things I want in the new phone... The video and the larger capacity, that's about it. Maybe in a year or so when they come out with something even better I'll pick that up.
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Mikko said 3:36AM on 6-20-2009
Apple should have redesigned the iPhone body as well. At least matte back cover or something. For a customer point of view the device didn't change enough.
Silverhammer said 9:09PM on 6-19-2009
I'm waiting for AT&T to actually roll out MMS and tethering. Promises are worthless.
Besides, I have a perfectly good burner with more than two months left on it.
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Cycomachead said 9:10PM on 6-19-2009
So my dad isn't quite ready to make the plunge, but I've got enough money to cover the cost of the hardware, and there's a very slight chance I could be somewhere tomorrow morning...not holding my breath or anything, though.
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Loforte said 9:20PM on 6-19-2009
I had to go to work, but was there right after work and picked up the black 32 GB model. Love it!
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Michael said 12:43PM on 6-20-2009
Me too...no line waiting for me, walked in at 10am and walked out 15 mins. later with a 32GB Black 3Gs.
SimonM said 9:20PM on 6-19-2009
Meh, for some reason I'm eligible for a 3G to 3G S upgrade now, I'm just not sure if it's worth the price, or another 18 month contract (UK) when a better model might come out within that time frame.
Only thing that is really tempting me is the 32GB memory for transatlantic flights I do quite often.
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developerdan said 4:27AM on 6-20-2009
I decided to buy the phone on PAYG. Yes, it's very expensive. But... You can then sell your 3G to offset upwards of £300, and then join a monthly rolling contract or 'simplicity' as O2 call it. This gets me 600 mins, 500 txts and (more importantly) free internet (no wireless though).
The only downsides are no visual voicemail and (not 100% sure, but) less competitive international rates. But, you'd be saving money each month compared to your old contract... more money to offset the price of the new handset.
I was using an unlocked 3G on Orange, and this change (even with the price of the 32GB 3GS) actually saves me £70 over 12months! Win! :)
SimonM said 6:18AM on 6-20-2009
Hmmmm.... I might still be tempted. I get 30% off O2 contract rates with work, (but unfortunately not the cost of the phone). I'm sure I'll end up getting it in a spur of the moment bit of madness!
Mike said 10:46AM on 6-20-2009
My O2 contract runs out in December too, so can't buy now. I have decided not to upgrade when my contract runs out. I'll simply wait another six months for the release of the next model. Hopefully they'll update the design next time around.
I'm hoping the next version will have the ability to record telephone conversations. If I'm on the phone to any of my service providers, I like to have a record of conversations. So when they tell me that I never gave them a specific instruction, I have a recording to prove that I did. My 4 year old Sony Ericsson could do it, so why not my iPhone? Just because it's illegal to do it in the US, doesn't mean the rest of us should have to do without the feature.
Tony said 12:43PM on 6-20-2009
The way O2 have increased the prices across the board and not dropped the 3G prices, I don't see myself upgrading when my contract runs out in December (and before that just aint gonna happen.. 6 months buying out of a contract is *expensive*).
PayG prices are truly insane and not worth it - £538 for a phone that's still locked to the carrier???!!! Simplicity tariff + phone is not much of a saving over 12 months over a contract (a little over £100 cheaper)... and anyway, O2 has next to no signal in this city and I wouldn't go back to using them unless they paid *me*.
jthomp1286 said 9:21PM on 6-19-2009
Wasn't eligible for the upgrade price. Would've cost me $399 for the 16GB model. Didn't feel like shelling that out. Will be eligible in December though, so I'll probably pick it up then.
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sk8rpro said 9:21PM on 6-19-2009
Hey - there's not enough options! Have you considered that not all Apple fans want/afford the iPhone? I know that sounds crazy here at TUAW. Before I moved to a foreign country - I stuck with my $35/month contract and didn't want to spend more than that. Seriously, $70/month?!?! What the hell!
Another option is that there are some countries it still isn't available in, nor would it likely be available in. I'm an English teacher in S. Korea and Apple is not a prominent company here (LG and Samsung are though). Many Koreans will say, "What's an iPod?" Yeah, that's right, in some places when I have my iPod, I actually feel different and "think different" because I'm one of the few that has one!
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oliver hart said 12:58AM on 6-20-2009
A country with no iPods.. You'd think it'd be called Gatesland, not South Korea
murrayhenson said 4:50AM on 6-20-2009
Exactly... It really irritates me that people continually point out to sites like this that "there are people ...OUTSIDE... of the US. Just a reminder!" and the editors and commenters seem to continually forget about it.
I'm in Poland and everyone's quibbles with AT&T don't concern me in the slightest except when Apple makes concessions to them that happen to affect the entire planet (e.g.: Skype only over WiFi).
Now, I didn't get a new iPhone as I suspect MANY will not, be they in the US or elsewhere, because I'm tied into a long contract that isn't set to expire any time soon. I have no idea if they have them here or not because my contract doesn't expire for two more years. My wife will be getting a 3GS in November-ish when her current contract expires and she is REALLY looking forward to it. She went from being a hardcore Nokia fangirl and highly skeptical of my iPhone to wanting one and then wanting one badly and then wanting a new 3GS really badly. We look forward to its arrival... in five months.
milkmage said 4:51AM on 6-20-2009
@ oliver there are no ipods in Balmerville either.
sk8rpro said 6:32AM on 6-20-2009
@oliver,
I wouldn't say they don't sell iPods. They even have ones manufactured for Korea (that's where I bought a shuffle) - the point is, not many people buy them. It's just the only place I know where they sell them is a department store called E-Mart.
When I talk to students (kids and adults) about the iPod, that's when I have to tell them it's an MP3 player for them to understand what it is.
iPhones, on the other hand, are out of the question. Until SK, World, or Show think Apple will be a popular product in Korea, they won't sell the iPhone.
Duran Dujam said 9:25PM on 6-19-2009
I go back and forth, half the year in Canada and half the year in the US, so anything with a contract is out of the question.
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gcurtis said 9:31PM on 6-19-2009
went to the apple store tonite (danbury, ct). they won't let anyone in the store if you're not buying a 3GS - there's only 7 people in line (it's 8 p.m.) and 5 people in the store (normally, this store is pretty full)...
ridiculous.
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Brett said 9:30PM on 6-19-2009
I had to work. I bought it at the AT&T store during my lunch break. was there about 45 minutes.
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