Jobs warns against visiting Apple stores on iPhone launch day
If you were considering a leisurely visit to your local Apple haven to test and or pick up an iPhone on launch day, perhaps you should reconsider; Steve Jobs, his high Appleness, said the one thing not to do is visit an Apple store, lest you find yourself camping out amongst other pilgrims desiring the very same thing.
The Huffington Post’s Arianna Huffington (coincidence? I think not) was able to score an interview with Jobs after his appearance at the D conference earlier this week; Jobs released this little goody:
“Don’t go to an Apple store. It will be a madhouse there. People will be lined up around the block, sleeping on the sidewalk to get one. Go to an AT&T/Cingular store. Most people don’t know that they will be selling them too.”
Thanks for the insight, Bill. That brings up a very interesting point; does the iPhone carry the power to draw people to the streets with tents, Ramen noodles, and lawn chairs for any period of time?
After all, there are a very select few that have done so; game consoles such as the Xbox, Playstation, and Wii have gained such honors. Black Friday sales also draw such masses.
Will the iPhone demand such attention? I think we all expect it to do well, but will people REALLY camp out? I can honestly say I don’t know.
The second part of that quote addresses his tip to visit an AT&T store instead of an Apple retailer. I can tell you, the one thing I don’t want to do, ever, is spend any period of time talking to phone salespeople. I want to come in, feel up your iPhone, and make a decision on my own.
I don’t want someone who knows about as much about technology as my newborn nephew hovering clumsily over my shoulder, trying to tell me things about the iPhone I already know. Worst of all are salespeople who will not respond to statements that I do know more about the phone than them, and they continue to pester me with statements like, “Did you know this phone has a touch-screen keyboard?” Did you know I’m currently controlling my urge to bash you in the head with this shiny new iPhone?
That is exactly why I would prefer a visit to the Apple store to test the new toy. I want a knowledgeable but not pushy Genius available to answer questions I have, when I choose to ask them. Perhaps that won’t happen, but I can dream.
Either way, don’t be surprised to see a long line or a mass of people crowding around the Apple store on iPhone launch day. Yes, yes, it should be more our store than theirs, being that we care about Apple in a way speculative iPhone viewers never will; however, play nice with the other kids and we will all get our turn.
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June 1st, 2007
I think the iPhone launch will at least be as hysterical as the WII or PS3.
last january i was watching the keynote with a friend, his girl friend walked in, wh is not (at all) a geek, she works in a clothes shop, when she saw a fraction of the presentation (almost 2 hours long), she asked use to see it all again.
this is unique, i have never seen such a reaction before, the iPhone is not just a gadget for techno freaks, it’s almost a cultural phenomenon.
it’s a dream come true, it makes people feel they are playing in minority report.
it’s sublime.
June 1st, 2007
Jobs was misquoted in this artible.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/06/01/jobs_says_dont_go_to_an_apple_store_for_iphone.html
June 1st, 2007
i think people should just know this already. Apple will release the iphone this june with edge network in usa but by the end of the year they will release another one in the 3g network. This is real! There will be two different iphones so people will have to decide buy now or later. By the way, the iphone released now in june is only for new customers in att.
June 1st, 2007
[...] [Quote:] “Don’t go to an Apple store. It will be a madhouse there. People will be lined up around the block, sleeping on the sidewalk to get one. Go to an AT&T/Cingular store. Most people don’t know that they will be selling them too.” [...]
June 2nd, 2007
Dear assface,
Yes we do know more than you. Just because you have gotten 1 or 2 “cellphone” reps who dont have an engineering degree doesnt mean you know what you are talking about. You should come into the neareast ATT/Cingular store so we can show you that you have absolutely no clue what your talking about. The people at the Apple store are better?? Come on they are kids fresh out of high school. You have professionals who must know everything about 25 different phones. I apoligize in advance for not knowing every single detail of your precious iphone. Here is a brilliant idea, read the owners manual and dont ask us stupid ass questions.
Sincerely,
Your friendly ATT Wireless Employee
June 3rd, 2007
Dear Shitty Att Wireless Employee,
Unless you forgot to pull your head out of your wanna-be ‘Technology Life,’ almost everyone working at any cell phone company does not have any type of degree or technical background. I do believe the employment for simply requests that prospective employees are High School Grads. By the way, almost all Att/Cingular wireless stores are not directly related to Att corp, they are franchised retail locations that in no way require their workers to be trained in anything more than how to use a in-store point of sale computer. Apple stores themselves and their employees are directly linked to Apple Inc. without any franchise agreement. Every Apple Store is owned by Apple Inc, hence, they would have to know the most about their own products, duh dipshit!! Unless you have anything to back up your facts about your employees, don’t even post.
Sincerely,
A Smarter Consumer
June 4th, 2007
….now, now children. Behave yourselves.
June 4th, 2007
Dear Smarter Consumer,
You sir are a complete idiot. Most ATT/Cingular stores are corporate locations. All franchises clearly state as such if you will just open your eyes and look around. So from your post your telling me all apple store employees are engineers?? I think not, true most sales reps didnt spend 5 yrs in college studying electrical engineers. We do however have to know about the products and have a technical background. We dont just hire someone with a GED. You have to have sales experience and be able to pass an aptitude test. Good luck at the apple store you uninformed pissant.
Sincerely,
An Informed ATT Employee
June 11th, 2007
To ask whether lines would form in front of the Apple stores for the iPhone means you haven’t observed other big Apple releases. I’ve seen lines form in front of the Apple store for the new Mac OS versions, notably Jaquar and Tiger. Heck, there was a line in front of the Phoenix store at its initial opening and the atmosphere was “party !”. I anticipate a long line in front of every Apple store for the iPhone unveiling and some people lining up a couple hours before the doors open. You’ll even read about a couple of individuals camping out overnight. Granted, I expect at least 50% of the folks will be there just to see and hold the iPhone. Depending on my schedule, I may be there myself.
June 18th, 2007
[...] probably head over to start waiting at ~2:00. If I end up going to a store, it’d be Knox; however, someone in the know seems to think that it’d be better to go to an AT&T store. I dunno though, the idea of going [...]
July 29th, 2008
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