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June 27, 2007 12:19 PM PDT

No iPhone line at AT&T Times Square

by Marguerite Reardon
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While half a dozen people smolder in the near 90 degree heat waiting in front of Apple's store on Fifth Avenue for the much anticipated iPhone, no one is camping out yet at the AT&T store in Times Square.

The AT&T store in Times Square

The AT&T store in Times Square

(Credit: Marguerite Reardon/CNET News.com)

So far all seems quiet in Times Square. A salesman said the store would be getting those steel barricades the NYPD uses to control crowds on Thursday just to make sure that the line, when it forms, will be orderly. But as of Wednesday, the AT&T store looked like a promising option for people who must have the iPhone Friday evening.

All AT&T stores will close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday to prepare for the launch and they'll re-open promptly at 6:00 p.m., the company has said. AT&T representatives are also advising people to come into the store early if they need to buy anything non-iPhone related. Apple has also said that its stores will close from 2-6 p.m. on Friday

Store representatives haven't been given details yet about how many iPhones they'll have in stock on Friday, but the clerk I spoke with said he doesn't expect them to run out.

"We're keeping the store open an extra hour, so I assume we'll have enough devices to sell," he said. "Otherwise, what's the point of staying open later?"

I guess we'll see what happens Friday night.

Originally posted at News Blog
Marguerite Reardon has been a CNET News reporter since 2004, covering cell phone services, broadband, citywide Wi-Fi, the Net neutrality debate, as well as the ongoing consolidation of the phone companies. E-mail Maggie.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register) (8 Comments)
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Steal?
by Jedimonkey0 June 27, 2007 12:29 PM PDT
I think you meant "Steel"
Reply to this comment
Thank god someone has a life!
by Jim_Mattos June 27, 2007 1:27 PM PDT
I'm glad to hear that New Yorker's have more on thier plate then
waiting for a "freakin'" phone. Afterall, it's just a piece of
hardware, albeit a potentially cool one.

As for myself, I'm going to wait for the second generation i
Phone so that they have time to work out the bugs, increase the
basic functions of the phone (ie. add a camera, among others)
and increase the size of the memory. 8GB is awefully lacking in
size considering that current video i Pods are 80GB's.
Reply to this comment
8 GB is very good for the price you pay
by Sniche June 27, 2007 6:25 PM PDT
80GB uses a hard-drive and is physically to large, heavy and power
hungry. For what the iPhone is now, it is a very good package
If you want more you would end up paying more.
Why do people think this phone warrants lines?
by innhitman June 27, 2007 1:29 PM PDT
I am a HUGE Apple fanatic... I will get one for myself and my
wife.... but high end customers are NOT waiting on line in the
numbers that kids will wait to get a video game, let's say.

So Wall Street will probably freak when they don't see the lines
that everyone is expecting... but have no fear.. the phones will
move off the shelves.... perhaps not blazingly fast... but fast
enough to make the supporters very happy.

As it continues to evolve (via software updates and applications)
the iPhone will begin to dominate the market.... the number of
kids owning these phones will be staggering.... think of the fact
that young people text each other all day long... the texting on
the iPhone is way impressive.... iChat will be incorporated for
sure... the sky is the limit.... but the lines will not reflect the
future success.
Reply to this comment
OMG Disaster for Apple iPhone!!!
by MadKiwi June 27, 2007 2:34 PM PDT
So what? Two days out there are no lines? Big deal. I bet you will find that at nearly all outlets.

Come on c|net, this is NOT news. Do your job.
Reply to this comment
They have a camera...
by NeilKelty June 27, 2007 5:37 PM PDT
From Apple.com
Reply to this comment
Sorry
by NeilKelty June 27, 2007 5:38 PM PDT
The comment didn't work right..

From Apple.com

"iPhone features a 2-megapixel camera and a photo
management application that goes far beyond anything on a
phone today. Sync photos from your PC or Mac, and you?re ready
to browse or email them with the flick of a finger."

But I do agree with the choice not to buy right away.
Love
by demiphonic June 28, 2007 8:27 PM PDT
Don't forget the people waiting in line for the iPhone are not there just because they HAVE TO HAVE ONE, but because of their love for all things Apple. You can't exactly show that love by standing outside AT&T.
Not to mention people like being Part of the Action... so if a few start showing up at the Apple stores others will follow cause that's where the 'party' is at.
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