# iPhone 3G first day purchasers: what's your game plan? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639 "2008-07-08T02:19:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/1 "2008-07-08T02:19:39Z")
My wife and I intend to hit up the local AT&T store this Friday for a pair of new iPhones. We’re currently T-mobile subscribers, and we’ve been with them happily for years. But the lure of the iPhone is too much to resist. We intend to show up an hour or so before opening, make ourselves comfortable in what we assume will be the back of a moderately long line, and hopefully be out with a phone before lunch. But honestly, we have no idea what to expect. Will we be the only morons out there at 7 am? Likely not. Will an hour before opening still be too late to get a phone that day? Again, we think probably not. So, what about you? If you plan on buying a new iPhone on Friday, what is your plan of attack? Are you already in line, replying to this post from the sidewalk? Are you planning on trying sometime in the afternoon to see what’s left after all the idiots have wasted their time in line? ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/2 "2008-07-08T03:01:56Z")
I’m a 1st-gen iPhone owner who bought the first day at an Apple store. It took about five minutes, including standing in the 8-10 person line; they were very efficient at getting them out. I won’t be upgrading to a G3 (no G3 coverage in either the area I live in or the one I’m moving to – in fact, G3 coverage is miserable unless you live downtown in a major city), but I doubt it will take long at all. On the other hand, buy on the _second_ day, and there will probably be no line at all. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/3 "2008-07-08T03:22:51Z")
I know this isn’t the way you want this thread to go, but this other 1G owner will upgrade his phone to 2.0 and lovingly keep using it as the bestest phone he’s ever used. I don’t know when I’ll get my next iPhone…but I DO know when I’ll buy a competitor. (hint: never.) FWIW, remember, iPhones have been ‘off the market’ for a month or so now, they’ve been churning out s many of them as they possibly can…that and pretty much ALL of the stores had pretty good stock after the 1G came out. Apple wants to get them in the hands of as many people as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/4 "2008-07-08T03:49:35Z")
[QUOTE=TimeWinder] I’m a 1st-gen iPhone owner who bought the first day at an Apple store. It took about five minutes, including standing in the 8-10 person line; they were very efficient at getting them out. [/QUOTE] Problem is this time, at both Apple and AT&T stores, they’ll have to go through the full credit check and activation stuff at the time of purchase. I’ve heard worst case projections of 20+ minutes per sale. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/5 "2008-07-08T04:01:09Z")
I’m purchasing one through my cell phone provider - they’re just going to mail it to me on the 12th when it comes in. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/6 "2008-07-08T06:04:07Z")
I wants one, but I don’t know if I want to deal with the first day rush. Hopefully they’ll still have phones a day or so later. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/7 "2008-07-08T12:10:39Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] I’m purchasing one through my cell phone provider - they’re just going to mail it to me on the 12th when it comes in. [/QUOTE] Pretty much my approach. I called up my (UK) provider yesterday morning and wrangled one as a free upgrade out of them. To be honest i’m not overly excited about it as i don’t tend to use 90% of the stuff you get on phones these days (i call and i text - that’s about it). I’m a web techie though and the “how will this look on an iPhone?” queries have been steadily increasing. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/8 "2008-07-08T17:51:10Z")
I have an iPhone 1.0 here as well that I absolutely love _except_ for the EDGE connectivity being so slow. I keep vascillating between “temperance and delayed gratification” of just taking the 2.0 software upgrade and waiting awhile to buy a 3G phone and “WANT MONKEY DEMANDS INSTANT GRATIFICATION BUY 3G PHONE NOW NOW NOW!” mode. I have no idea who is going to win on the 11th but the Want Monkey has a damn good running track record of victories with these types of things. MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/9 "2008-07-08T17:58:54Z")
There’s nothing quite like the family losing half their annual salary to take the starch out of **Want Monkey’s** demands. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/10 "2008-07-08T18:14:29Z")
Really, I have no idea why we’re so eager to get this at the first opportunity. We’re not normally the type to see movies on opening day, wait for new electronics launches, or stand in line for anything, frankly. But there’s something compelling about this…enough to make even my wife think it’s irresistible. And she thinks evrything new is stupid. I passed on the first iPhone because I thought it was ridiculous that it didn’t have 3G data. I figured I already have a smartphone with EDGE, and it sucks. I told myself that when a 3G-enabled version came out, I’d get one. So maybe this eagerness is just me keeping a promise to myself. I don’t remember promising that I’d get one as soon as humanly possible, but that must have been what I meant. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/11 "2008-07-08T18:37:14Z")
I’ve officially gone iPhone bonkers, and I’m really conflicted on what to do on the 11th. It’ll be a busy work day, so I can’t afford to stand in line past 9am. So it’s show up at the store quite early to line up, or wait until Saturday. I’m not sure I will survive until the weekend. This is a dilemma. Me wants so badz now-now. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/12 "2008-07-08T19:19:29Z")
[QUOTE=Pork Rind] Problem is this time, at both Apple and AT&T stores, they’ll have to go through the full credit check and activation stuff at the time of purchase. I’ve heard worst case projections of 20+ minutes per sale. [/QUOTE] That’s only for people who don’t already have AT&T. Those of us who have AT&T and are just changing phones won’t take nearly as long. I’m going to be on the road all day on Friday so I’ll probably get one over the weekend. I have heard that the actual phone on the iPhone 1.0 isn’t so hot. Is this still supposed to be true on 2.0? ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/13 "2008-07-08T19:57:12Z")
[QUOTE=hajario] I have heard that the actual phone on the iPhone 1.0 isn’t so hot. Is this still supposed to be true on 2.0? [/QUOTE] That has not been my experience. In fact, quite the opposite. The iPhone is the best phone I’ve ever owned in terms of signal strength/reception, clarity of call, quality of speakerphone, in-call functions, and the visual voicemail is fantastic. I’ve owned: 2 Motorola Razors 1 Siemens Something-or-other 2 Blackberry’s 1 Palm Treo (Windows Mobile, not Palm O/S) 1 Samsung flip phone (D357 I think) Now if I could find a solution that keeps me from getting oil from my face on the pretty screen when talking I’d be a happy man… 😉 MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/14 "2008-07-08T20:19:47Z")
I’m glad to hear that **Joe**. The visual vm is one of the features that I look forward to using. I’ll be trading in my Razor, which I like a lot, for the iPhone. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/15 "2008-07-08T20:57:11Z")
I’ve been waiting a year for this particular device, so I’m hitting the store on the day it goes on sale. But I’m not skipping work or anything to do so. I get done with work early on Friday, around 2pm and am hitting the nearby AT&T store directly thereafter. I’m hoping that all the morning line-waiters and the lunch breakers will have cleared out by then. I’m expecting the demand won’t be so insane that they’ll have sold out in the first five hours. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/16 "2008-07-08T22:04:00Z")
When the original iPhone came out, I wanted one, if only because the UI on most smartphones really piss me off. I decided to wait for the next-gen one, though, to see if it had any bugs to work out. So, yeah, I’m going to get one. It’s not a huge rush for me, though… I’ll see if I can get one on Friday afternoon, or possibly over the weekend. I can wait. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/17 "2008-07-08T22:20:50Z")
[QUOTE=MeanJoe] Now if I could find a solution that keeps me from getting oil from my face on the pretty screen when talking I’d be a happy man… 😉 MeanJoe [/QUOTE] Bluetooth headset? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/18 "2008-07-08T22:28:58Z")
Want Monkey says, “I waaaant one.” Ironically, I had already booked the 11th as a holiday long before I knew of the release date. So I can be there bright and early with my MonkeyNose pressed to the window. But. Ever since Rogers (and its subsidiary brand Fido\*) announced their rate plans, my ardour has considerably cooled. I dislike the 3-year contract, the locked phones, the high rate-plan prices, and the small quantity of data transfer allowed on the rate plans. No unlimited data from Mr. Rogers! I’ve been a Fido customer since 1997, and unless I can apply my existing stock of “FidoDollars” (reward points) to the iPhone, and also just add a data plan to my existing voice plan, I may pass on the whole affair for a time. [sub]\*Fido, previously a separate company, was bought by Rogers.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/19 "2008-07-09T03:14:33Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Excellent] Bluetooth headset? [/QUOTE] Sadly, no bluetooth in 1st gen iPhones and I do not believe it will have bluetooth in the release on the 11th. MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639/20 "2008-07-09T04:33:12Z")
[QUOTE=MeanJoe] Sadly, no bluetooth in 1st gen iPhones and I do not believe it will have bluetooth in the release on the 11th. MeanJoe [/QUOTE] That’s not true. Both the [first-gen iPhone](http://support.apple.com/specs/iphone/iPhone.html) and the [iPhone 3G](http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html) support Bluetooth. In fact, Apple has been selling the [iPhone Bluetooth headset](http://store.apple.com/us/product/MA817LL/A?cid=AOS%2DUS%2DSHOP%2DFroogle) as long as the phone’s been around. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-first-day-purchasers-whats-your-game-plan/455639.md?page=2)