Is The iPhone's Mass Appeal Wanning?

I was in an AT&T store earlier today well beyond the time it opens. I noticed that although some iPhones were being sold there was most certainly no line or frenzy. I thought to myself wow the AT&T salesperson was very aggressive in trying to sale the iPhone. I remember a time when the iPhone sold itself.

I took a quick tour of the new iPhone and then decided not to purchase. I love my aluminum iPhone (which is naked and in mint condition). I just couldn't see switching to plastic. The v1 iPhone is so elegant when carried naked. Everytime I look at my v1 iPhone I see strength. I do not see that in the current models .

I also notice that for this to be an iPhone launch day not much chat in the forum about the new iPhone.

*Is the reason the loss of appeal?

*Is the reason an ever worsening economy?

*Is the reason the The Palm Pre with it's pricing plan and features are a better buy?

*Is the reason the cost structure of owning an iPhone?

*Is the reason the lack of consumer choice of carrier?

*Is the reason much more conservative family budgets?

As a matter of fact any or all of those reasons could be the reason the AT&T store I visited at 1:45pm still had a large inventory of iPhone's to sale. What are your thoughts? Mark

Actually that is my whole point. Is the trend shifting to people can wait for their new toy. What happened to the flair of I need it on day one? Mark

It still seems to be alive and well here!

I just called my AT&T store and they don't have any 32 GB's available. It's a small town region though and they didn't get a large shipment for launch day. The rep said if I wanted one my best bet would be to preorder. They won't have any for over-the-counter sales until all the preorders are filled. I think when all's said and done, Apple will be pleased with initial sales. The buzz in the media is overwhelmingly positive. I'd bet sales are crisp.

I'm keeping my v1 for now, but the only reason is because there's no 3G service in the area.

If you pre-ordered it was shipped to your home and you got it on the day of the release. There isn't a lot of lines in store because people are getting them at their home. They are not waiting in lines and getting "their new toy" on day one.

Plus, you now have multiple outlets to get iPhones. Apple store, ATT store, Best Buy, Wal Mart. Every town has a lot of these different stores so you don't have the huge lines in a few concentrated areas anymore. Multiple outlets to buy a product means no mass rush at a location.

According to iPhone Alley, the 3 S sold more units for launch than the 3G last year. We didn't see the lines because of the preorders.

The 3G S launch is expected to sell over one million in the THREE days.

Its on track to outsell the 3G launch.

So, the answer to your question would be HELL NO.

And a lot of people preordered.

People are lazy and would rather not stand in line. After last year's debacle, they are over waiting in line.

UK sales estimate that 3G S sales will beat last year's 3G sales even though the lines are shorter.

So, while a long line looks good for PR, most of us don't want to be in them. :laugh2:

Then there are the people like me that are waiting like 4 days before going out to buy it as that is the first chance that I will have the time.

I work at Best Buy Mobile and we sold out of our stock throughout the day it was madness for us. I just got off doing iPhone activations during my 12 hour shift at 10PM EST.

Well I guess I was wrong. 1 million iPhone 3Gs's sold is nothing to sneeze at. Mark

Not only did they sell a million in 3 days again - in this economy! - but as a commenter pointed out to me at my site, they did it in only 6 initial launch countries this year, as opposed to 22 last year for the 3G.

not lazy. Efficient.

Especially since as of yesterday only 150,000 Pre's have been sold. :gasp:

So on average, the Pre is selling at a rate of 7894 per day.

The iPhone? 166,666 per day.

Contest over.

More people hate Sprint then AT&T lol. And Apple did the math in terms of stock. Palm....is Palm...lol.

if there were more Pre's available that 150,000 number would be far surpassed. There are waiting lists everywhere, problem is nobody can find one.

That said, there is no killing the appeal of the iPhone. I've said many times, the only thing that will kill the iPhone is Apple itself.

1 million phones? Fairly impressive, but not nearly as impressive as:

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009...et-breaks-the-two-million-mark-for-preorders/