Posted on 06/30/2007 11:22:20 AM PDT by Star Traveler
Apple devotees rush stores for iPhone
by: ROBERT EVATT World Staff Writer
6/30/2007 1:51 AM
Customers wait long hours for the latest multimedia product
Jay Kantor doesn't turn 15 until Aug. 12, but he got his birthday present early.
He stood in line with his father, Jon Kantor, for nearly 12 hours to get it.
"The iPhone is the coolest thing out right now," Jay said Friday while standing in line to buy Apple's newest product at the AT&T store at 1404 S. Lewis Ave.
"Ever since I got a Macbook Pro, I knew about the quality of Apple products. So when I found out about this, I knew it would be great," he said.
After six months of hype, the iPhone -- priced at $500 to $600 -- made its official debut at AT&T stores and Tulsa's new Apple Store at 6 p.m. Friday.
The new device, which combines an iPod, Internet capabilities, a touch screen and a cell phone, gathered an overwhelming amount of hype before its launch, and that fueled long lines at all stores selling it in the area Friday.
At the Lewis Avenue location, more than 70 people waited in a line that stretched around the front of the building to behind a Dumpster in the back.
There, Tyler McKeon, approximately 60th in line, hoped the store wouldn't sell out before he could get an iPhone.
Not wanting to wait in line all day, he had arrived outside the store at 5 p.m., he said.
Mark Simone, area retail sales manager for AT&T, said Friday that he's been through many cell- phone launches before but that nothing came close to the planning necessary for the iPhone.
"It's something we've never seen before, so there's been a lot more preparation ahead of time, more than any product we've ever seen," he said.
Not only did each employee spend six hours training with the phone and its touch-screen interface, but they closed the store at 4:30 p.m. to bring out the displays and hold last-minute meetings.
"It's a momentous occasion, so we've been celebrating," Simone said.
Many of the buyers were self-professed Apple fans. E. Kirby Jr., owner of Kirby Kasting, an entertainment production company, said he came out at 6 a.m. because he was excited about the iPhone the moment it was announced in January.
"I only use Apple computers in my studios," he said. "I'd never use anything else."
Finally, AT&T employees shouted "six o'clock" and let the cheering crowd inside.
Almost two hours later, after nearly everyone in the line had bought an iPhone, Simone predicted that the store wouldn't sell out but would "probably get real close."
He declined to say how many were sold.
Jay Kantor was the first customer to finish the sale and get his hands on the long-awaited gadget.
But it took him several seconds to decide which of the iPhone's many functions he'd try out first.
"Everything," he said.
Robert Evatt 918-581-8447
robert.evatt@tulsaworld.com
I'm estimating, according to my count, that there were about 3,000 people there for the opening. Now, I've read some news accounts that put the count at much less, but I was there and I did a rough count, doing a grouping of "tens" and counting how many "tens" I came across, as I walked down and through the crowd. My estimate is about 3,000 people waiting at the time of the grand opening, at 6 PM, on Friday night.
I didn't get in line, there, but took some pictures and saw when the doors opened up. There were cheers from the entire crowd, just like it was a football game and their team "just scored". It was a whoop and a yell and the Apple employees were almost like cheerleaders, leading the yells... LOL.
I decided to go back down the mall, sit it out for a while at Panera Bread and surf the net while getting a snack and see if I could wait out the crowd. They moved them through pretty fast and about an hour and a half later, I went back and I got in the door in just five minutes in line -- that's all. The store was crowded.
I got my Apple t-shirt, that said "Woodland Hills" and had the Apple logo on it -- in the typical "black" t-shirt "trademark" for Apple...
It was fun being there and I got my hands on an iPhone and made a few calls and tried out the other features. I had a couple of questions about getting assigned a particular area code, since I've got an address in Oregon, a billing address in Dallas, but am spending most of my time, these days, in Tulsa. So, I'm trying to find out how they assign area codes.
I'll be getting one in a week, after I check out a few things. I could have bought one last night, as they were ready to sell it to me and they had plenty in stock. Those iPhones were "walking out the door" -- as a lot of people were getting them -- "left and right" -- non-stop!....
It is certainly an "phenomenon" -- to be sure....
Regards, Star Traveler
Brand new Apple store opens in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 6 PM on Friday night, June 29th, at Woodland Hills Mall (71st and Memorial), next to Macy’s...
Personally I think this entire cell phone thing has gotten totally out of hand. What’s next, a cellphone that lets you cook dinner remotely so it’s ready when you get home from work?
Ridiculous
The prices are dropping like a rock on ebay.
Well, Apple and AT&T are laughing all the way to the bank...but the hype will not last. The iPhone cannot replace the iPod. And the lack of cellular/PCS services avaialable will hurt sales.
This was a front page news story in the Tulsa World, that arrived at the house this morning. And it had pictures of the actual “store opening” of the new Tulsa Apple Store.
I did a search and no one had this article from the Tulsa World. Check out the author’s name on the story, too — it doesn’t match your other story. Also, I did a search of your story using the “keyword” Tulsa and there is no mention of Tulsa, Oklahoma in your story...
So, it seems to be a completely different story...
Regards,
Star Traveler
Does that mean that I can get a better price on eBay than at the Apple store??
I think a bunch of people were betting on shortages at Apple and got fooled and are trying to unload what they got... LOL...
It looks like Apple is going to be able to keep up with demand on this one... they brough in plenty of stock. I could have bought one last night, but I had a few questions, first — to get answered, one having to do with the assigned area code that I need...
Regards,
Star Traveler
Hey..., the next thing with iPhone is going to be “home control” so that the coffee pot starts brewing, the house temperature is brought up (or air conditioning, is kicked into gear), and sensors are checked and/or video feed is glanced at, to see that everything is okay, along with alarm system keyed into notifying you immediately on your iPhone is there is a security breach in your home...
LOL...
Regards,
Star Traveler
LOL... jealousy is not becoming of some people... :-)
Oh..., “mon ami” — the iPhone is not designed to replace the iPod... LOL...
I’ll have both an iPhone and an iPod (the 5th generation one, now...), but I’ll guarantee you, when that particular touch screen comes to the iPod (only a matter of time) — I’ll be getting that iPod and someone else in my family will be getting a 5th generation iPod “hand-me-down” — LOL!!
Regards,
Star Traveler
Waiting in line for anything like this, like Star Wars or a video game console, or whatever is stupid. Waiting in line for a cell phone is double stupid.
Phones suck, there is basically nothing you can do to a phone to make it not suck, except disconnect it. The only time phones don’t totally suck is in an emergency. Maybe the iPhone causes emergencies so when you have to use the phone it sucks less? Maybe? I don’t know. I am just so grateful I don’t have an iPhone or anything else iCult.
iT iSounds iLike iQuite iA iPhenomenon!
iKnow... LOL
— the iPhone is not designed to replace the iPod... LOL...
::::
Well when that 8GB iphone can hold as much music and as many full-length feature movies as my 80GB iPod can, then it will replace it :-) — not until then.
I own apple stock, but the one right now I’m really happy to own is Marvell (MRVL). Apple has been secretive about what external companies supplied what components to the Iphone and people had to wait to get one before taking off the cover and seeing what was inside.
Appears MRVL is supplying the wi-fi chip and possibly other chips in the phone. This stock was battered over the past year due to options backdating investigations, but resolution to these issues have been completed with the SEC the past month, and next month they will be releasing their updated financial statements to finish compliance requirements with the Nasdaq.
All that aside, I have been buying up large chunks of this stock at its lower prices recently on word that its chips would be in the Iphone. They make some of the best chips in the business. The stock jumped $1 on friday and analysts have now said this deal with Iphone could raise profits by 7% or higher for the year.
Anyway, the thing I’m getting about to in all this is, its not just Apple, but AT&T and those that are parts suppliers for the Iphone are going to completely clear house the next couple years with sales of this device.
Over 1 million Iphones have been pre-ordered by paying customers, and sales in the first year could be anywhere from 7 to 10 million.
AT&T will clear up on all those subs. 10 million phone users x average of $75 per month cellphone charge. (I saw three planes for Iphone for between 50 and 100 a month.)
And then the parts suppliers like Marvell.....
You want a great play on investing the next year and more. Get a list of all the parts suppliers to the Iphone, and invest in them. Boo-yahh!!!
Now that would be way cool.
Most of the ones on ebay are probably put up by store employees ... if it took off, they cash in, if not no loss.
Except possibly for one fool who didn’t put a reserve on a lot of 2 phones - a few minutes ago the bidding was at only $560 for the two of them.
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