Options for How To Get The iPhone 3GS on June 19th
Now that a few days have passed since the iPhone 3GS was announced – which also means a few less days until we can have the things in our greedy little hands “ I ‘m learning more about various different options for where and how to get the new model on the day it launches, June 19th.
Although it ‘s supposed to be available at Best Buy and Walmart as well, I have not seen any info on how they ‘re handling ordering or supply etc. I have seen a lot of that sort of detail for both Apple and AT&T. With both Apple and AT&T you can pre-order online and have the iPhone 3GS delivered to you or collect at a retail store.
iPhone Central has a good post up “ HERE “ with lots of details on the AT&T and Apple arrangements for ordering the 3GS. AT&T has a video up outlining when its stores will open and talking a little bit about pricing (while conveniently leaving out the higher costs if you ‘re not a qualifying customer). You can check that out HERE.
My plan is to purchase via AT&T, for a few reasons:
- Their stores will open at 7:00am on the 19th (Apple stores will open at 8:00am) and service people who have pre-ordered / purchased the phone from 7:00-9:00. Even though I found the Apple Store far superior to the AT&T store last year, I ‘m hoping the whole pre-order system this year will make this far less painful. Boy am I hoping this!
- My nearest AT&T store is a fair bit closer than the Apple store.
- I ‘m very impatient when it comes to iPhone / gadgets stuff. I know I could order online and have delivery assured for June 19 “ but I ‘d be moping around all day waiting on that delivery. I ‘d just as soon get up early, stand in a hopefully not-too-crazy-long line, and get the new baby home as quick as possible
- We have a family plan and my wife is going to take my 3G, while my number transfers to the new 3GS and hers transfers from her old iPhone first gen (which we ‘ll remove phone service from and give to my daughter to use like a Touch. We ‘ve spoken to the folks at the AT&T store and they ‘re sounding more likely to deal with all the number-swapping and activating side of things smoothly for us. Again, boy am I hoping that is right.
What are you planning for June 19th? For those who are planning to purchase the 3GS, are you planning to order online? Reserve it at a store? Apple or AT&T or one of the others?
Ordered mine (32GB, black) through the online store. There's an outside chance it will arrive on my "doorstep" earlier than June 19. Wouldn't that be sweet…
Me too but white.
Re: delivery earlier than June 19
Man I hope so! I was wondering how they could give a blanketed delivery date of June 19 even though someone may order the night before. Maybe they pre-shipped a bunch to various shipping carrier hubs(FedEx?) and are just waiting for owners to be sent out?
Ordering. My nearest ATT and Apple store are 75 miles away. My daughter will be camped out at our house,
MDB
Went to our nearest AT&T store and placed my order for a 32GB white. Yay.
Did the back of the 3G hold up reasonably well to scratches or have problems with cracks? My 2G did alright but you can tell it has been around the block and back again at this point. I'm wondering does the plastic weather better or worse than the metal backing on the 2G (the front is nearly perfect!)?
If you just swap the SIM between an old 3G and a 3GS, phone number and everything won't have any issues will it? Mom wants an iPhone, I already have a 3G. I want the 3GS but can't get upgrade price until May. Don't want to be on a family plan with her. Can't she just get the 3GS then we swap SIMs and go on our merry way?
aflorence – my 3G has virtuall zero scratches and no issues with cracks. I've used one of the very light Belkin cases (the ones sold in Apple stores) that covers back / sides only – and use it 50/50 naked / cased. So far, so good – though I know others have had issues with cracks.
Brian – I imagine that should work out fine. We just sat down at the AT&T store and worked ours out because we were monkeying around with 3 iPhones and truning off phone service on one of them etc.
Tell me what you guys think about this:
I bought the iPhone 2G when it first came out for $599 and signed a 2-year contract. Then I upgraded to the iPhone 3G when it first came out for $299 and extended my contract for another 2 years. I now only have 1 year left on my contract. I was interested in getting the iPhone 3G[S] so I plugged in my information on the "Buy iPhone" feature on Apple's website and it tells me that I either have to wait til December 'til I'm eligible for a discounted upgrade. Otherwise it's $599 for me to buy the iPhone 3G[S] on June 19th. I only have a single line on my account.
What if:
On June 19th, I add a second line to my account for $9.99 per month + $30 data service plan so that I can get the iPhone 3G[S] for $299. Once the iPhone 3G[S] is activated, I call ATT and tell them I dropped the iPhone 3G[S] in the water and is no longer working. I then ask them to cancel the iPhone 3G[S] data plan ($30.00) and put the sim card on a cheap phone which I won't use. I then take the sim card from my original iPhone 3G (line 1) and stick it in the iPhone 3G[S].
Yes, it does involve lying, and yes it is going to cost me an extra $9.99 per month. BUT I will now have two lines. Line 1 will be eligible for upgrade June 2010 > Line 2 will be eligible for upgrade June 2011 > Line 1 will be eligible for upgrade June 2012 > Line 2 will be eligible for upgrade June 2013 and so on and so forth. Which means I can upgrade to a new iPhone every summer (if a new iPhone comes out every summer). What do you guys think? Could this work?
Chris – I think that's got a lot of potential pitfalls to it. I wouldn't fancy going that route …