So monday June 9th, I was celebrating the birthday’s of my sister and half-brother by spending a few hours in the local Apple store. Why would I do such a thing? Because the Apple World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) was going through it’s keynote speech where they outline new products to come to market – most of which are usually available for purchase immediately after the speech is done.
I’m sure you can guess it, I was waiting for the second generation iPhone. However, I didn’t get one then because it wasn’t released… and I won’t get one in July because Apple pissed me off.
Before I get to why I’m pissed, there the whole reason why I was there. iPhone shortages began popping up worldwide sometime in May. The tech reporting world was very much buzzing about what was going to be included in the new iPhone which would probably be announced on the 9th of June at the WWDC. The shortages increased to the point where you couldn’t buy an iPhone from Apple’s site. So it’s logical to assume that not only would the new one would be announced, but that it would be immediately available. WRONG! Those of us who like Apple enough to go to the store to buy the new phone were rewarded with the announcement that it would become available on the 11th of July. So in many markets there will be between 1 and 2 months of zero iPhone sales for Apple – which is about one of the stupidest things I’ve head in awhile. Maybe they’re taking a hint from the automakers in hybrid production.
Anyway, so the big news about the iPhone that I didn’t get was the drop in price as long as there’s a 2-year initial contract to go along with it. The caveat being that there would be changes in the plan. So for myself, it would cost me more over the term of a 2-year contract to buy the new iPhone at the lower initial cost than if I would have bought the outrageously expensive one last year which has a more reasonable plan price.
I was annoyed. In a way I’m glad they are retarded in terms of their inventory control, or else I would have ended up with one on the 9th of June and paid more over time.
So what did I do with my annoyance? Went and joined the CrackBerry army on T-Mobile (Blackberry Curve, or 8320). The picture above is one of the first images I took to make into my current screen background. Sure, I may not be able to browse as good as the iPhone or have that social status that seems to exude from iPhone owners – but I can do everything I set out to do and type a much easier.
Soon I’ll figure out how to blog from this thing… I have started a new set in Flickr for the images I take from the phone and can send directly to my Flickr account (it’s a handy feature that I’m liking)… It’s also a phone that makes it easy to make your own ring tones unlike anything from Verizon or the iPhone. In short, I’m liking the CrackBerry…
Sorry Apple, I was rooting for you. But it’s your own fault. Don’t worry though, there’s gonna be enough suckers on the 11th blinded by the lower price.
3 Comments
1 Hungry Hank wrote:
I hear ya, buddy. I went in to buy the new LG Voyager today to upgrade to the 21st century (my current phone doesn’t even have bluetooth) and since my two year upgrade date is in March, they said no rebate for me. I politely mentioned that my recourse would be to cancel my service and get an iPhone and still, no indication they would bend on the issue.
So, in looking at the market, just before I checked out this post, I decided I’m going to get T-mobile and probably the sidekick cuz it looks cool (and has the features I want). Not definite on the type of phone but by the end of the weekend, Verizon can kiss my over 10 years of loyalty goodbye and I’ll be expecting a Christmas lay from Catherine Zeta Jones … or at least a card.
And in direct relation to your post, Apple are idiots for handling the new iPhone the way they have. All of the other phone makers are hot on their heels getting better and better to making phones just as good/if not better than the Jesus phone. A PR hit like this only means that tech savvy people realize that being new to the iPhone market is a bad idea, both fiscally and because AT&T drops calls like Orlando Jones drops footballs in The Replacements (yeah, I went there).
2 B wrote:
You can go to the replacements, just don’t forget to give Favreau some love for also going there.
I considered any phone I could find with a querty (sidekick included), and it ultimately came down to the fact that the best 3rd party support and user base was a BlackBerry. Hell, I’m surprised at the amount of stuff that came already loaded on it.
Looking short term into the future, there is a new BlackBerry (cleverly titled Bold) coming out soon. A little more down the road is the Android platform being spearheaded by Google. That may be the only thing that could take the wind out of the iPhone ascendancy… None of the other touch screen phones have a chance (i.e. from LG, or Samsung).
3 Hungry Hank wrote:
To proclaim one of the many great films starring Chuck Norris turned into a TV show with Buck Rogers and Ernie Reyes Jr. : Sidekick!!!
New phone and new abilities. It’s like I leveled up. I’m still adjusting to the capabilities and functionality of the sidekick LX (blue for boys). I think once I get things down I’ll be happy with what I’ve done. I almost went with the Blackberry but my allegiance to Chuck knows NO BOUNDS!!
Anywho, I dropped your name so hopefully you’ll see $50 soon. Peace out …