Some sites are claiming that Apple and AT&T will require 3G iPhone activation in store. While this could possibly be true, it seems doubtful knowing how Apple handled the original iPhone launch. The claim to activate in store is meant to deter people wanting to unlock their 3G iPhone. Supposedly it will take 10-12 minutes for activation if all goes well.

Leading up to the original iPhone launch it was said you would have to activate your iPhone in an AT&T Store or Apple Store. On June 26th 2007 (3 days before the iPhone hit stores) Apple released this Press Release :

Apple and AT&T Announce iTunes Activation and Sync for iPhone

Already Familiar to Tens of Millions of iPod Users

CUPERTINO, California and ATLANTA—June 26, 2007—Apple® and AT&T Inc. today announced that iPhone™ users will be able to activate their new iPhones using Apple’s popular iTunes® software running on a PC or Mac® computer in the comfort and privacy of their own home or office, without having to wait in a store while their phone is activated. Activating iPhone takes only minutes as iTunes guides the user through simple steps to choose their service plan, authorize their credit and activate their iPhone. Once iPhone is activated, users can then easily sync all of their phone numbers and other contact information, calendars, email accounts, web browser bookmarks, music, photos, podcasts, TV shows and movies just like they do when they sync their iPods with iTunes.

“Users will be able to activate their new iPhone in the comfort and privacy of their own home or office, without having to wait in a store while their phone is activated,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “There are tens of millions of people in the US who already know how to sync their iPods with iTunes, and syncing their new iPhone with iTunes works the same way.”

“iPhone’s user-driven activation is another example of how AT&T and Apple have partnered to bring innovative new features to our customers,” said Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO, AT&T. “iPhone’s innovative activation and sync is just one example of how this is going to be a real industry game-changer.”

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If Apple decides to make you activate the 3G iPhone in store, Apple and AT&T stores are going to have LONG hours on launch day. The time it would take to activate each iPhone at 10-12 minutes (if everything goes as planned) would still cause crowds of people waiting in line for HOURS to activate a phone. It doesn't make sense. We also know how well AT&T did with iPhone activations the 1st weekend.

"SAN FRANCISCO -- While blogs continue to simmer with complaints from people who waited months to buy an iPhone and now are experiencing problems activating it, AT&T Inc. said Sunday that the situation has improved.

"We are working on any issues on an individual basis with customers who were impacted," said Michael Coe, a spokesman for AT&T, the Apple Inc. device's exclusive carrier. Nearly all customers have been able to activate their phones within five to eight minutes, he said.

Without activation, not even the phone's alarm clock works, leading some unhappy customers to joke that their inactive iPhones are little more than expensive paperweights.

AT&T attributed the problems to overloaded servers as large number of customers tried to activate their phones over the weekend. After being hit with the initial onslaught, AT&T made technical adjustments to its activation system so that new users wouldn't face the same delays, Coe said." Via The Washington Post

I just can't see Apple going backwards. Stay tuned.

Labels: 3G iPhone, apple, att

¶ posted by Jimmie Geddes, Editor @ 6/09/2008 08:43:00 PM