First Apple iPhone shipments arrive stateside

[AppleInsider]

The first retail-bound volume shipments of Apple Inc.'s hotly anticipated iPhone device arrived successfully in the United States this past weekend, touching down quietly at a handful of drop locations just six days before the device is due to go on sale at nearly 2000 Apple and AT&T retail locations.

People familiar with the matter say the intrinsically valuable freight was carried inbound by a certain Hong Kong-based air courier, which services Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. The early arrival is to assure the cargo can clear customs with enough time to handle unexpected delays, those people said.

Awaiting the freight at each location on Sunday were armed personnel, who were reportedly hired by Apple through its courier's ground handling agent and then cleared by the Transportation Security Administration. Armed guards are extremely unusual for freight coming out of the Asian sector, those familiar with the matter explained, and are typically reserved for shipments containing riches such as gold and diamonds.

Once on the ground, the iPhone shipments were to be broken down under the watch of the armed personnel, who would then observe the loading of the freight onto ground vehicles and become party to its transportation outbound.

It remains unclear where the eagerly sought Apple gadgets will spend the better part of the business week ahead of their planned launch Friday afternoon at 6:00 p.m. local time. It's possible, however, they could begin turning up in stockrooms of Apple and AT&T retail stores days in advance.

Apple management on Sunday began informing its retail personnel that beginning Monday, no cameras of any kind will be allowed in the back stockrooms of its retail outlets. The ban reportedly spans all cell phones -- regardless of whether they contain camera functionality -- and all personally owned Apple notebooks that feature built-in iSight video cameras.

This past weekend, Apple retail stores nationwide began preparing for Friday's iPhone launch with new planogram layouts, employee attire, and window displays that feature 4-foot iPhone replicas equipped with massive LCD displays screens.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

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[DaveGee]

Just think for a second....

What would have been the financial loss had that shipment run into some tragic event? I know it's not the ONLY shipment... who in their right mind would load all THOSE eggs into ONE basket but still...

Dave

[CosmoNut]

No cameras or cell phones in the stock room of a store that SELLS cell phones? Good luck with that one.

I expect we'll see iPhone pictures within 48 hours.

[bdkennedy1]

Now this has been the story that convinced me that a lot of people have absolutely no lives.

[DaveGee]

Originally Posted by bdkennedy1

Now this has been the story that convinced me that a lot of people have absolutely no lives.

Just wait, it's ONLY Monday... YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN YET!

[BlackSummerNight]

I wonder could these iPhones work without a SIM card. If so, they better watch out for people stealing.

[jpellino]

"...and become party to its transpiration outbound..."

I knew these units were tiny, but if they can fit through the stomata on the underside of a green leaf, they're really really tiny!

[icibaqu]

only reading appleinsider have i learned what sticklers for grammar geeks can be. worlds best spellcheckers too.

[blirette]

Man, I'm so going nutz over this... and it's only Monday... and I live in Canada! Dammit!!

A side question while I'm here writing my first post (but I've been reading this website for like... 6 years?). If I'm a filthy rich bastard :

- Can I buy an iPhone in the US, cancel the plan and bring it back to Canada and use everything except the phone capability?

- Could I somehow use my RAZR to relay the phone signal via Bluetooth to my iPhone?

Go go rumors and Apple!

[mstone]

Originally Posted by CosmoNut

I expect we'll see iPhone pictures within 48 hours.

I hope so, I'm anxious to see the packaging. I examined the gigantic replicas up close at the Apple store. Amazing detail on those models. Do you think well see pictures of it disassembled a few minutes after they go on sale?

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by icibaqu

only reading appleinsider have i learned what sticklers for grammar geeks can be. worlds best spellcheckers too.

I don't think it helps that PR-ish writing is used for the stories. If the stories were written in a little more casual manner, I don't think nearly as many people would care. Mistakes seem to stick out more when one uses more professional writing styles. A lot of mistakes probably wouldn't be made either if it was written more casually. A lot of the errors seem to be of the type that happen when one tries too hard.

[BdeRWest]

"Awaiting the freight at each location on Sunday were armored personnel..."

Unless there were knights guarding the docks, I think it was probably "armed personnel?"

[jfrater]

You have no idea how sad it makes me knowing that we have to wait until October for the iPhone (I am in the UK). Nevertheless, I intend to watch the news very closely for all of the reviews that should start pouring out on Friday!

New Features in OS X Leopard Server

[Hark]

I was just emailed this site to track where to get an iPhone on Friday! http://wheresiphone.com Is it a pretty cool idea or a complete waste of time for a site that will only live for exactly one day?

[maclawyer]

I realize from the outset of this post that it is unlikely that anyone will know the answer until next week or later, but...

Do you anticipate that demand will greatly outstrip the availability of the iPhone (e.g.: Wii) or has production been high enough so that most who want the iPhone will be able to get it?

[Bacillus]

Why was I not told of this on Friday ?!?!


I would have gone to the airport and had a welcome iPhone party. There would have been bunting, apple bobbing, pony rides, and clowns making balloons into sundry Apple products.

[mr O]

Originally Posted by jfrater

You have no idea how sad it makes me knowing that we have to wait until October for the iPhone (I am in the UK).

You shouldn't! The European iPhone will be like the American iPhone without the glitches!

I am holding my breath though The iPhone offers an amazing user experience, but it's single weak point is gonna be Cingular. It could prove a strategic blunder on the long term when the iPhone mania has cooled down …

So, bring on the true internet Phone by replacing the classic Cingular phone with a true Skype phone! You allready have the internet in your pocket!! Dammit!

[Charko]

I love this stuff!

Although I'm getting on in years and am concerned about a lot of much more important world events, for me this week is going to be just the iPhone.

I've got a feeling of excitement that I haven't experienced since I was a small child waiting for Father Christmas on Christmas Eve!

This is going to be Apple's biggest 'countdown' week in their history.

[EagerDragon]

Well someone is bound to use a customer computer to test the isight and take a picture of the backroom loaded with goodies, move the pics to a USB thumb drive and plaster it over the network.

Well, no employee camera or iSight was used, so I guess it meets the rules, right? LOL.

[NealofThelake]

Originally Posted by CosmoNut

No cameras or cell phones in the stock room of a store that SELLS cell phones? Good luck with that one.

I expect we'll see iPhone pictures within 48 hours.

And that employee WILL be caught, fired and probably sued by Apple. It's part of employee confidentiality agreements. No employee should dare cross Apple at this point in time.

[CosmoNut]

Originally Posted by NealofThelake

And that employee WILL be caught, fired and probably sued by Apple. It's part of employee confidentiality agreements. No employee should dare cross Apple at this point in time.

Oh, come now. Mac devotees are much more sly than to allow that. They'll take it in such a way that you can't tell for sure where the store is, and then strip out the file's metadata so there's no way to tell what the picture was taken with.

[BrianMojo]

There's no way the iPhone can live up to all this hype. People are going to be very disappointed when they realize that it is, in fact, a physical device and not the answer to all of their hopes and desires in life. Expect a backlash.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by NealofThelake

And that employee WILL be caught, fired and probably sued by Apple. It's part of employee confidentiality agreements. No employee should dare cross Apple at this point in time.

I really don't think it would be that hard to evade detection. I don't think it's worth the bother though, it's not worth risking job loss, and frankly, it's only a few days from release anyway.

[sandau]

In the Apple Product Life Cycle, i'm waiting on these two items with anticipation:

* Nerd porn threads appear in the Mac forums. Some lunatic with too much time and money on his hands disassembles the new device down to the bare, soldered components and posts pictures.

and

* A minor, rarely occurring flaw in the device begins to be discussed in the Apple support forums. Whiny, artistic types post lengthy diatribes about how this terrible design flaw has made the device unusable and scarred them emotionally. Electronic petitions are created demanding that Apple replace the devices for free, plus pay for counseling to help traumatized users overcome their emotional distress.

[macslut]

Originally Posted by Bacillus

Why was I not told of this on Friday ?!?!


I would have gone to the airport and had a welcome iPhone party. There would have been bunting, apple bobbing, pony rides, and clowns making balloons into sundry Apple products.

I'm not sure where you live, but here in Northern California, the shipment arrived via C130s at Moffet Field. They stopped traffic at San Carlos and Palo Alto airports and private flights out of San Jose. The C130s were accompanied by F22 Raptors, and all were quickly moved into the hangers. Then came the black helicopters. They flew overhead while 3 caravans of Humvees surrounded with police motorcycles hit the freeway going off in three different directions...only one of which actually carried a single iPhone.

I plan on getting that iPhone, so back off.

[Bageljoey]

Originally Posted by BrianMojo

People are going to be very disappointed when they realize that it is, in fact, a physical device and not the answer to all of their hopes and desires in life.

Its not?

[ajhill]

Armed personnel? Sure, they all had left arms and right arms. Come on people it's a phone for gosh sake.

The only way that there will be any hysteria is if they come in with a very affordable monthly voice/data plan.

Given the fact that Verizon passed on Apple's terms it seems likely that there is "One more thing... An affordable voice/data plan" coming.

If the plans are high, the lines won't last the weekend.

[Hark]

Originally Posted by mr O

but it's single weak point is gonna be Cingular. It could prove a strategic blunder on the long term when the iPhone mania has cooled down …

Steve Jobs went to Verizon FIRST with the iPhone. Apple wanted Verizon. Verizon passed.

That's the blunder. Without Verizon on board, Jobs went to the next best network: Cingular/AT&T.

Verizon will be feeling the sting of passing on the iPhone for years. In fact, even though CDMA(EVDO) is better technology and Verizon has a better network, I predict that Verizon passing on the iPhone is the turning point in their market dominant position and ultimate downfall.

[sandau]

Washington Post:

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by Hark

Steve Jobs went to Verizon FIRST with the iPhone. Apple wanted Verizon. Verizon passed.

That's the blunder. Without Verizon on board, Jobs went to the next best network: Cingular/AT&T.

Verizon will be feeling the sting of passing on the iPhone for years. In fact, even though CDMA(EVDO) is better technology and Verizon has a better network, I predict that Verizon passing on the iPhone is the turning point in their market dominant position and ultimate downfall.

Damn, I think the stock holders of all the celluar companies should just instruct their boards to sell off the assets and give the money to the stockholders, for no one will want anything but an iphone on cingular. And the same goes to the likes of Nokia, Ericcson, etc, they need to just stop wasting time making phones.

Or we could just stop the "can't believe anyone would turn down the iphone" rhetoric. Nah, that would never happen.

[auxio]

Originally Posted by blirette

Can I buy an iPhone in the US, cancel the plan and bring it back to Canada and use everything except the phone capability?

If you really want one bad enough, I'm sure they'll be showing up on the "grey" market shortly after release (at a premium of course). Whether or not that will be more expensive than doing what you suggest is a toss up. Though it's a pretty good bet it will be.

Though I'm doubting whether, if you don't have a US postal address, you'll be able to get a US cell phone plan. So unless you know someone living in the US willing to sign up for you, or you have dual citizenship and a second house (you did say filthy rich), then going grey market may be your only option.

Originally Posted by blirette

Could I somehow use my RAZR to relay the phone signal via Bluetooth to my iPhone?

The "phone" part of the iPhone is no different than any other phone on the market, so it should work with any digital cellular service provider (minus the random access voice mail, of course). The only hurdle is that, if you don't purchase it unlocked, then you'll have to find someone to unlock it for you so that you can use it with a Canadian service provider. Again, this would be another plus for going grey market.

Not that I'd condone such activities, of course.

I personally can wait the 6 or so months until it's released in Canada (my guess since it'd be in Apple's best interest not to miss the xmas season). But if you really must be the first to have it, those would be your options.

[DaveGee]

Originally Posted by BlackSummerNight

I wonder could these iPhones work without a SIM card. If so, they better watch out for people stealing.

Huh?!?! Most/All cell phones (present day phones) require a SIM card... Its only a matter of if it's LOCKED to one specific carrier.

Dave

[DaveGee]

Originally Posted by Hark

Steve Jobs went to Verizon FIRST with the iPhone. Apple wanted Verizon. Verizon passed.

That's the blunder. Without Verizon on board, Jobs went to the next best network: Cingular/AT&T.

Verizon will be feeling the sting of passing on the iPhone for years. In fact, even though CDMA(EVDO) is better technology and Verizon has a better network, I predict that Verizon passing on the iPhone is the turning point in their market dominant position and ultimate downfall.

I've heard that said a number of times but I'm not buying it... Apple and Cingular (AT&T) have had a few 'public brushes' of them working together... If I remember it correctly, as a .mac subscriber I was eligible (for a brief time) to get a '.mac member discount' off of my phone bill and then something about Cingular doing something so their site was working in Safari (something like that - it was well over a year ago) and then something about Apple doing something in iSync for Cingular (????).

Anyway Apple & Cingular has always SEEMED 'cozy' to me...

I think the plan was for Cingular to get the deal but for Apple to 'offer' it to Verizon first but with something that Apple KNEW would be totally unacceptable and force Verizon to decline. If things go according to plan (wild iPhone success) it will make Verizon look even worse than they would have had they not been offered the iPhone in the first place. Hey, they were even OFFERED the chance and BLEW IT!

Perhaps a bit ... okay quite a bit of conspiracy theory-ish but what else can I keep me busy till Friday?!

[chris v]

Originally Posted by icibaqu

only reading appleinsider have i learned what sticklers for grammar geeks can be. worlds best spellcheckers too.

We can also act as the Apostrophe Police. It's "world's."

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by bdkennedy1

Now this has been the story that convinced me that a lot of people have absolutely no lives.

This scrap brings all new life to the 'lifeless'.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by sandau

Washington Post:

Classic Jobs... love it.

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by mstone

I hope so, I'm anxious to see the packaging. I examined the gigantic replicas up close at the Apple store. Amazing detail on those models. Do you think well see pictures of it disassembled a few minutes after they go on sale?

OMG, you're anxious to see the packaging? Why in the world do the Apple-nuts go insane over the packaging (to the point of taking pictures of every step of unboxing the thing)? I don't know how to explain this to people, but its a box. 99% of the people buying a product could care less how nicely designed the box is, or how the content is laid out.

You want to know why the windoids mock Apple users? Its not out of some deep hatred, or deep desire to own a mac, or anything. Its just that they see these people posting pictures of the UPS truck stopped in front of a guys house, yes, the truck carrying his new computer, let alone the box in an opened state, with the first layer of styrofoam off to the side, the cds fanned out to the right, and there's just nothing left to do than laugh (and, yes, they are laughing at you, in case you were wondering).

[admactanium]

Originally Posted by ajhill

Armed personnel? Sure, they all had left arms and right arms. Come on people it's a phone for gosh sake.

The only way that there will be any hysteria is if they come in with a very affordable monthly voice/data plan.

Given the fact that Verizon passed on Apple's terms it seems likely that there is "One more thing... An affordable voice/data plan" coming.

If the plans are high, the lines won't last the weekend.

apple uses armed guards a lot. a friend of mine who was on the press check for the first posters for the original imac said the printing press building was surrounded by armed guards and the windows were blacked out. this is for a poster.

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by DaveGee

Huh?!?! Most/All cell phones (present day phones) require a SIM card... Its only a matter of if it's LOCKED to one specific carrier.

Dave

I think he was wondering whether the ipod/wifi stuff would work without the SIM card.

And there's no 'requirement' to have a SIM card, its done more to ease selling the phones through the different carriers. Apple could easily hard wire the circuitry to Cingular if they so desired.

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Classic Jobs... love it.

Its too bad the political cartoonists aren't so into the mac-scene. I'd love to see what they would do with the "What's the twelfth button!" mania from a month ago.