iPhone Only To Be Sold At Select AT&T Stores

According to an internal memo acquired by the Consumerist, the Apple iPhone will only be available at Apple.com, Apple Stores, and select AT&T stores.

source www.techfeed.ca/?q=node/115 & www.consumerist.com

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[logant]

I really wanted the iPhone. But now I just don't know anymore.

No third party apps (I don't consider their solution an "app". Although, I don't really care that much about third party apps)

No flash in Safari-Maybe a deal killer

[tokenuser]

Originally Posted by TechFeed

According to an internal memo acquired by the Consumerist, the Apple iPhone will only be available at Apple.com, Apple Stores, and select AT&T stores.

source www.techfeed.ca/?q=node/115 & www.consumerist.com

The consumerist counts as a legitimate source now? It is pulp journalism at best ... but anyway.

You need to read the memo correctly. "It will not be available for sale in the local dealer channel".

AT&T have multiple distribution channels. They have AT&T stores that they own, they have AT&T BRANDED franchises, and they have AT&T distribution channels (LOCAL DEALER CHANNELS) that can sell you a phone and a contract from AT&T as well as other carriers ("Hanks Bargain Phones" at the local strip mall, as well as Best Buy etc fall into this category).

All the memo is saying is that the phone (and if other rumours are true, there are 2.3M of them ready to be sold on launch day) is only available through AT&T stores (corporate and franchise), and not through the local dealer (multi carrier) stores.

Why is this such a big deal? As a business user, there is little appeal in the iPhone beyond the glossy new interface. I'll stick to my crackberry. As a consumer, I just bought an 80GB iPod to replace a stolen 4GB nano (interface not as slick, but much better battery life and much MUCH better capacity), and a Sony Cybershot DSC-T100 (again, to replace a stolen camera). Total cost was about the same as the iPhone. I already have a crackberry. And it is a 7130e - so the speed is broadband quality.

I used to be a huge proponent of converged devices, but they are all about compromise. Sure, you only need to carry a single device, but its a device that does none of its intended functions particularly well - but it sure looks cool while you are doing it

[comhcinc]

we have three AT&T stores in the area, and they all have iphones.

[crumbles]

Can someone please help me understand why this phone is better than the N95?

I seriously don't get all this hype.

[tokenuser]

Originally Posted by crumbles

Can someone please help me understand why this phone is better than the N95?

I seriously don't get all this hype.

[crumbles]

Originally Posted by tokenuser

lol, well, I didn't want to come out and say that. I really was wondering why people think this phone is so much better than the N95. Plus the N95 is already in my pocket!

[tokenuser]

Originally Posted by crumbles

I really was wondering why people think this phone is so much better than the N95.

<==

Seriously. Its the only reason for the hype. The multitouch UI is nice, and Apple does have some great designers working on their gear, but the only thing that really sets the iPhone apart is the logo screen printed on the back.

The camera is a typical cell phone camera (OK for a blog, but wont replace a proper camera).
The music player is iPod based - which is nice, except the amount of memory available to the user is NOT the full 4 or 8GB advertised, so you get a limited MP3 player.
Wifi ... OK, thata plus.
Cellular data. EDGE?? WTF! Data speeds are marginally better than dialup, approaching ISDN speeds in burst mode, but nothing like the EVDO speeds on CDMA networks.
Call quality (it IS a cellphone after all) - unknown. With all that electronics packed in there, I suspect the reception is going to be lousy.
PDA functions? Yet to be seen how they really stack up against other SmartPhones (Treo, WinMobile, Blackberry).
Browser - this is a plus ... they really put some thought into what works on a portable device. Two enthusiastic thumbs up on that.

[darknessgp]

Originally Posted by tokenuser

<==

Seriously. Its the only reason for the hype. The multitouch UI is nice, and Apple does have some great designers working on their gear, but the only thing that really sets the iPhone apart is the logo screen printed on the back.

The camera is a typical cell phone camera (OK for a blog, but wont replace a proper camera).
The music player is iPod based - which is nice, except the amount of memory available to the user is NOT the full 4 or 8GB advertised, so you get a limited MP3 player.
Wifi ... OK, thata plus.
Cellular data. EDGE?? WTF! Data speeds are marginally better than dialup, approaching ISDN speeds in burst mode, but nothing like the EVDO speeds on CDMA networks.
Call quality (it IS a cellphone after all) - unknown. With all that electronics packed in there, I suspect the reception is going to be lousy.
PDA functions? Yet to be seen how they really stack up against other SmartPhones (Treo, WinMobile, Blackberry).
Browser - this is a plus ... they really put some thought into what works on a portable device. Two enthusiastic thumbs up on that.

About the wifi, I'm not so sure it is a plus. Remember the Zune has wifi, it's gimped but it has it...

To add to logant list of no flash and no 3rd party apps. Should also tack on mandatory iTunes and locked in to only work with Cingular.

More on top, it actually somewhat makes sense to me that they'd do a limited release. Yea, people will buy it because it's Apple and Apple probably knows this. But I'm not so sure Cingular is sold on that idea. Not to mention there are a lot of people that can't justify spending that much on a phone/PDA along with possibly having to switch cell providers.

[tokenuser]

Originally Posted by darknessgp

About the wifi, I'm not so sure it is a plus. Remember the Zune has wifi, it's gimped but it has it...

I think this is actually one of the biggest selling points on the device - ability to access the web wirelessly or via cellular modem. If you have the choice of surfing over cellular speeds or over 802.11b/g, I'd take the 11/54Mbps over the 128kbps.

And now it just occured to me WHY there is no dev kit ... it has WiFi. With a Skype port to a cellphone device, suddenly the whole reason for a carrier to carry the device is destroyed. The device will appeal to early adopter that don't miond paying the bleeding edge tax. These are the same people that would load up a VoIP app on the phone ... and suddenly instead of selling $80 voice+data plans, AT&T (there is no Cingular any more) are selling $40 data only packages (I am making those numbers up - but you get the idea), and people are connecting via Skype.