June 26th, 2008
Apple memo answers some iPhone 3G questions
I was in the my local Apple Store yesterday at The Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey purchasing an AppleCare Protection Plan for my wife’s iPhone and I asked about a Genius about what time of day iPhones would be going on sale on 11 July. He said that he wasn’t sure if it was a morning thing or a 6 p.m. thing like it was for the original iPhone launch. He then told me that they most likely wouldn’t know until 11 July.
Note: If you purchased your iPhone rev. 1 on launch day (on 29 June 2007) you have until the end of day Sunday to activate AppleCare, a year after purchase Apple products aren’t eligible for AppleCare.
An internal 3-page memo from Apple to its retail staff members obtained by AppleInsider details how staff are to answer 17 different queries about the iPhone 3G. The guide is very specific and tell employees not to “speculate beyond the information that is public today.”
As was the case last year, Personal Shopping sessions may be available on 11 July but you won’t be able to use it to purchase an iPhone 3G.
If people ask about upgrades from iPhone rev. 1 employees are to say “don’t have any information regarding upgrades.” This pisses me off. Apple knows that they won’t offer upgrades – they never do. I wish they’d just be honest and say, “Sorry, we won’t be offering upgrades.”
If a customer asks about activation, retail staff are instructed to say: “I don’t have any details at this time about activation.”
The document reveals some information about purchasing multiple iPhone 3Gs. For example, one person can buy several handsets provided that they’re all activated in store on an individual or Family Talk plan. Customers that have or want a corporate plan (sometimes called a CRU or IRU plan) have to go to an AT&T store. The same goes for business owners looking for volume discounts. Wait, AT&T offers volume discounts?
All the details are over at AppleInsider.
