First Apple iPhone shipments arrive stateside
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.
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.
Comments
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
I expect we'll see iPhone pictures within 48 hours.
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!
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!
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!
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?
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.
Unless there were knights guarding the docks, I think it was probably "armed personnel?"
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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?
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.
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
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!
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.
Well, no employee camera or iSight was used, so I guess it meets the rules, right? LOL.
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.
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.