iPhone available at 2000 stores at launch

wjp09

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Apple's inaugural mobile handset, iPhone, will be available for sale at 2000 retail store fronts when it goes on sale for the first time next month, putting the device within reach of most US households.

 
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iphonenut

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that's all fine and dandy. However, I think the bigger concern or question for me is how many iPhones are each of those stores going to have on the release date.

If 2,000 stores have iPhones but they each only have a handful each then we have a problem a la the Wii and PS3.

I guess i'm just being a little paranoid...my biggest fear is that there won't be enough and i'll have to wait another month...or...shudder...LONGER. I hope that doesn't happen.
 

BoxKrait

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When I went to my local Cingular store, or is it ATT store, they said something along the lines of each store will get a different amount based on how many names are on the waiting list.

I hope they email me when they know when they are going to receive them.
 

iphonenut

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When I went to my local Cingular store, or is it ATT store, they said something along the lines of each store will get a different amount based on how many names are on the waiting list.

I hope they email me when they know when they are going to receive them.
I'm not calling you a liar or anything but what they told you doesn't really agree to what the AT&T internal memo stated re: pre-orders and taking lists.
 

joe

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Ok, so if we want 50 phones (avg) at each store, that's 100,000. Can they have 100K on release day? That seems kinda high. What about 10 per store (20K)? That sounds reasonable.
 

iphonenut

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Ok, so if we want 50 phones (avg) at each store, that's 100,000. Can they have 100K on release day? That seems kinda high. What about 10 per store (20K)? That sounds reasonable.
Assuming 100,000 on release (i really hope that isn't true) i don't think that every store would get the same number..i.e. Apple store gets just as many as the corner cingular store. so i'm sure there will be some disparity when it comes to size/foot traffic.

In the end, though, only 100,000 would be a shame...they HAVE to have more than that right? :sick:
 

ebrunn

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Your best bet to get one will probably be at a brick and mortar Apple Store. Each store will probably have at least a 100. Their are only about 160 Apple Stores to begin with so.....
 

Cantwait4iPhone

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My guess would be that there won't be quite 100k at launch, but we can only hope. The wait list at my local Cingular store was stopped at 50 people, according to them, so I think my best bet will probably be one of the two Apple stores in my area. They will probably have more, and it'll be more fun to wait there. My question is, though, how they will do the service and stuff if you buy it at the Apple store. You will probably be able to do it at the Apple store or you will have to go to the Cingular store afterwards. Any news on this?
 

robhon

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Ok, so if we want 50 phones (avg) at each store, that's 100,000. Can they have 100K on release day? That seems kinda high. What about 10 per store (20K)? That sounds reasonable.
Coming from a manufacturing background I can tell you that 100K is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a large order. The launch window will be the highest short term volume of sales they will experience for the product. I'd be surprized if they launch with anything less that a million units. More likely it'll be closer to 2 million +.

I mean, Apple has to sell nearly a million a month to just meet their target. And targets are ALWAYS set with the intension to beat them.
 

Cantwait4iPhone

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Coming from a manufacturing background I can tell you that 100K is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a large order. The launch window will be the highest short term volume of sales they will experience for the product. I'd be surprized if they launch with anything less that a million units. More likely it'll be closer to 2 million +.

I mean, Apple has to sell nearly a million a month to just meet their target. And targets are ALWAYS set with the intension to beat them.
Hmm... interesting. Good to hear, but I expected less. We shall have to wait and see, but you know more on the matter than I do.

So let's say there are 1.5 million at lauch, and 2k stores receiving them, that would be an average of what, 750 per store? :D That doesn't sound right, what math did I do wrong?
 

wot_fan

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I mean, Apple has to sell nearly a million a month to just meet their target. And targets are ALWAYS set with the intension to beat them.
Remember, Apple's stated goal is to sell 10 million units world wide by the end of 2008. That gives them 18 months. So on average they need sell a little over 1/2 million per month. I would also expect them to sell more per month on average after they launch worldwide since they will have a lot more potential customers. I do think that they will sell more in the first month that it is available than any other month though.

I hope you are right about the number in the initial production run. I really would like one on the first day they are available, but I am unwilling to camp out to assure myself of one.
 

Cantwait4iPhone

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Remember, Apple's stated goal is to sell 10 million units world wide by the end of 2008. That gives them 18 months. So on average they need sell a little over 1/2 million per month. I would also expect them to sell more per month on average after they launch worldwide since they will have a lot more potential customers. I do think that they will sell more in the first month that it is available than any other month though.

I hope you are right about the number in the initial production run. I really would like one on the first day they are available, but I am unwilling to camp out to assure myself of one.
Yeah, me too. I really don't want to camp out if I can get it otherwise. I wish there would be 750 in each store, like the math I did in the earlier post suggests, but that would be a tad bit extravagant. :D

Plus there is the factor that, as with most launches, there will likely be certain "hotspots" for it. What I mean by this is that there will likely be a party at the Apple store in New York where they will receive many more units than the normal stores. This happened with the PS3 launch, for example, and they had hundreds, maybe thousands at the opening party. This is just a thought, might or might not play a role in the launch,
 

joe

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Coming from a manufacturing background I can tell you that 100K is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a large order. The launch window will be the highest short term volume of sales they will experience for the product. I'd be surprized if they launch with anything less that a million units. More likely it'll be closer to 2 million +.

I mean, Apple has to sell nearly a million a month to just meet their target. And targets are ALWAYS set with the intension to beat them.
1M ready to go at launch? While that would be awesome, Apple has never done that before as far as I can recollect. Launches are always short of product and it takes a couple months to catch up with demand. This might be different with the iPhone (I hope!) and with smaller devices than computers.

There is also more to it than whether they *can* produce that many at launch: do they want to. It's all about timing, estimating demand, marketing, shipping, all kinds of other factors that will affect how many they decide to make initially.
 

iphonenut

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for those in the know, would 500K be out of the question?

500,000 / by 2,000 stores is 250 a store...and if you take into account the uneven distribution of the products by store size, that would mean a lot more product for the bigger "flagship" stores.

if a big Apple store has upwards of 300-400-500 phones, that would be cool right? the fact that there are 4 or 5 Apple stores in the LA area (to go along with the many cingular stores) give me hope.

please someone...don't burst my bubble...just let me dream. ;)
 

robhon

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Remember, Apple's stated goal is to sell 10 million units world wide by the end of 2008. That gives them 18 months. So on average they need sell a little over 1/2 million per month. I would also expect them to sell more per month on average after they launch worldwide since they will have a lot more potential customers. I do think that they will sell more in the first month that it is available than any other month though.

I hope you are right about the number in the initial production run. I really would like one on the first day they are available, but I am unwilling to camp out to assure myself of one.
You may be right but I think I remember the statement saying 10 million "in" 2008. That would work out to 833K per month; closer to a million/month. But I still would hold that their greatest opportunity to sell units is at initial launch.

I think we all remember the old Apple days where products were delayed and delayed, and then when they launched there weren't many to be had. I think those days are over.
 

thepepes

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that's all fine and dandy. However, I think the bigger concern or question for me is how many iPhones are each of those stores going to have on the release date.

If 2,000 stores have iPhones but they each only have a handful each then we have a problem a la the Wii and PS3.

I guess i'm just being a little paranoid...my biggest fear is that there won't be enough and i'll have to wait another month...or...shudder...LONGER. I hope that doesn't happen.
Won't we just be able to buy them online? Or is waiting for it to be shipped what everyone doesn't want to deal with?
 

wot_fan

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Won't we just be able to buy them online? Or is waiting for it to be shipped what everyone doesn't want to deal with?
From what I have read, yes you will be able to purchase it online. I think many people here have waited so long already to get their hands on one, they don't want to wait a day more than they have to. I for one fall into that category ;).
 

thepepes

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From what I have read, yes you will be able to purchase it online. I think many people here have waited so long already to get their hands on one, they don't want to wait a day more than they have to. I for one fall into that category ;).
haha ok I see. I think I could probably wait (eek I know) ... I'm surprised there's no online pre-order option you know?
 

wjp09

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You need to remember the impulse factor. When these next gen video games systems came out EVERYONE wanted one. Now if they look back they weren't as great as they thought they were. Not saying they aren't good but some people were paying hundreds if not thousands for them. Apple needs to supply this demand while there is a buzz.
 

rollerbones

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I work in Beachwood Ohio so there is a Apple store about 5 min away from me along with a few Cingular stores...instead of me going to wrok at 7am I think I will just head over to one of the stores...Just don't know which one...I am sure the Apple store would get more but will it be more crowded..

I also need to figure out how the plans will work...I am still under a plan until December and I thought I heard people saying that I will still be able to get the phone at the $450 price but will need to extend the contract another 2 years which is fine if this is true but Cingular never let me do this before...you were only able to upgrade when you were with them 11 months then you got the upgrade price...BUT if you want a new phone and you under 11 months you have to pay FULL RETAIL price of the phone then you were not under a contract when your org. one expired....I wish they would talk more about that.