Update: 'home' activation no signal of unlocked US iPhone sales
New information has clarified that the home activation option visible to Apple Store retail employees actually relates to sales made where the customer pre-qualifies at home, rather than the potential for new unlocked iPhone 3G sales offered without a subsidy.
During the iPhone 3G activation process, retail employees report, new iPhones originally ring up as $299 or $399, and are then discounted in the activation process using an instant rebate from AT&T that is tied to setting up a new contract.
AT&T customers who have already been credited with a recent phone unit subsidy aren't eligible for the discount. Some other customers have mobile contracts that are paid by their employer or involve other special circumstances that Apple retail employees aren't able to process as a regular sale.
In order to service these customers, a special home pre-qualification web site has been set up so that users can find if they are qualified by AT&T for a phone unit subsidy. Users can set up their account at home so that everything is ready to go when they make their iPhone 3G purchase at a retail store.
The new "Home" option that retail employees are seeing on their EasyPay terminals is designed to allow them to use this home pre-qualification step to accelerate the transaction of a new iPhone 3G. That also indicates there is no impending potential for unlocked iPhone 3G sales in the US, although this is expected at some point.
Also on the horizon is a reshuffling of iPhone 3G models, with the likely introduction of a 32GB model and the discontinuation of the 8GB unit. However, the 8GB version continues to enjoy widespread popularity and additional checks with other retail stores indicates that there does not appear to be any immediate plan to drop the model.
Based upon the historical timing of the introduction of last year's updates, a new 32GB iPhone 3G is not likely to be introduced until after the holiday season.
During the iPhone 3G activation process, retail employees report, new iPhones originally ring up as $299 or $399, and are then discounted in the activation process using an instant rebate from AT&T that is tied to setting up a new contract.
AT&T customers who have already been credited with a recent phone unit subsidy aren't eligible for the discount. Some other customers have mobile contracts that are paid by their employer or involve other special circumstances that Apple retail employees aren't able to process as a regular sale.
In order to service these customers, a special home pre-qualification web site has been set up so that users can find if they are qualified by AT&T for a phone unit subsidy. Users can set up their account at home so that everything is ready to go when they make their iPhone 3G purchase at a retail store.
The new "Home" option that retail employees are seeing on their EasyPay terminals is designed to allow them to use this home pre-qualification step to accelerate the transaction of a new iPhone 3G. That also indicates there is no impending potential for unlocked iPhone 3G sales in the US, although this is expected at some point.
Also on the horizon is a reshuffling of iPhone 3G models, with the likely introduction of a 32GB model and the discontinuation of the 8GB unit. However, the 8GB version continues to enjoy widespread popularity and additional checks with other retail stores indicates that there does not appear to be any immediate plan to drop the model.
Based upon the historical timing of the introduction of last year's updates, a new 32GB iPhone 3G is not likely to be introduced until after the holiday season.
Comments
Wow- now I can sleep tonight.
(or you can check AI again a few more times--just in case there is any new info...)
(or you can check AI again a few more times--just in case there is any new info...)
Haha, me too. i will be pretty pissed if they get out a iPhone 32G now. If it was after Xmas then it will be fine.
The prepaid/ home activation/ whatever is just so that they can move (ie. sell) large, large amounts of iPhone 3Gs in November and December. Because the Apple Stores are mad enough during these peak times of the year, if they continue to have in store activation Apple Stores US and UK are f*ked.
Of course for USA and UK there will be no unlocked iPhone3Gs for at least until the end of the year. No way ATT and O2 are going to give up any of that lucrative holiday season sales.
The iPhone 3G is available on pay as you go in the UK from O2.
The iPhone 3G is available on pay as you go in the UK from O2.
Entirely true, but also irrelevant in this case.
PAYG phones are still locked to their service provider. (Although CPW did (do?) have a good policy of selling unlocked phones with a PAYG SIM card)
The iPhone 3G is available on pay as you go in the UK from O2.
But still not unlocked.
Right now, in Finland Sonera is facing a revolt of sorts. Hundreds of Sonera customers that purchased the iPhone have started canceling their contracts. While technically they can not cancel them before two years, they have signaled their intent to cancel. Sonera is trying to keep a lid on the problem but it should be public soon. As there are plenty of iPhones available in Finland, Sonera is looking to renegotiate their contract with Apple to allow unlocking sooner rather than later. Never before has a customer purchased a device at full price and still have it locked. These Finns are uber pissed.
I understand that the Finns might be annoyed, but sales volume in Finland will not make or break the iPhone.
I understand that the Finns might be annoyed, but sales volume in Finland will not make or break the iPhone.
Who said anything about sales volume? I was commenting on the contracts that some operators (one that I know of in particular) sign that in the end will screw them and this is one of them. And regardless of volume sales, Apple is in the biz to make money, pure and simple. They didn't develop the iPhone as a gift to humanity. They developed it as a way to get your money, no matter where it comes from or how much.
Who said anything about sales volume? I was commenting on the contracts that some operators (one that I know of in particular) sign that in the end will screw them and this is one of them. And regardless of volume sales, Apple is in the biz to make money, pure and simple. They didn't develop the iPhone as a gift to humanity. They developed it as a way to get your money, no matter where it comes from or how much.
Why is it Apple's fault? Why is renegotiation by Sonera necessary?
Sonera can sell iphones totally unlocked from the start --- they didn't do it because they decided to simlock the iphone. It has nothing to do with Apple.
Who said anything about sales volume?
Who said you said anything about sales volume?
Why is it Apple's fault? Why is renegotiation by Sonera necessary?
Sonera can sell iphones totally unlocked from the start --- they didn't do it because they decided to simlock the iphone. It has nothing to do with Apple.
Exactly. Much better put.
Who said you said anything about sales volume?
See post number 12, your post then get back to me. You mentioned sale volumes in your post and I commented on it. Pure and simple.
Exactly. Much better put.
If you agree with him then you are equally as WRONG.
Have you not read what I posted? Did it go by you? Apple imposed these restrictions on Sonera, not the other way around. Apple required that Sonera locked the phones with a 2 year subscription. This subscription has now backfired and Sonera has the potential to lose customers because Apple has a monolithic US/North American business model.
See post number 12, your post then get back to me. You mentioned sale volumes in your post and I commented on it. Pure and simple.
I did as you suggested, and am getting back to you: all I can say is, stop sounding so churlish. I (not you) simply responded to your post by making a point that whether Finns return the iPhone or not matters little to Apple in terms of their global sales volume.
I did as you suggested, and am getting back to you: all I can say is, stop sounding so churlish.
Universal translation: Oh, I guess I was wrong but won't admit it.....
By the way, I don't take orders from you but keep trying.
Apple imposed these restrictions on Sonera, not the other way around.
That's just your claim at the moment.
Please advance the discussion by providing a credible link, cite, whatever: I am certainly wiling to be corrected on this (or any other point). Otherwise, move along.