The iPhone 3G S went on sale this morning, and while a dedicated few could be found queueing outside Apple’s flagship store on London’s Regent Street, there weren’t the numbers or overnighters we’ve been used to seeing with a brand new smartphone. Has the iPhone lost its buzz?
Anyone looking to get hold of an iPhone 3G on launch day last year faced interminable delays, with eager crowds and credit checks causing all sorts of bottlenecks. Those sights weren’t repeated this year, with just a few score waiting outside, and just two people outside The Carphone Warehouse on nearby Oxford Street.
iPhone 3G S hands-on photo overload!
Compare that with the queue waiting all night and around the block for the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic earlier this year and it pales in comparison. Obviously the iPhone 3G S is more widely available from the word go, but we can’t help but wonder if the high pricing and unrest about upgrading costs have put people off.
We spoke to student Richard James, the first out of the Apple store with the new iPhone 3G S (16GB PAYG, in case you were wondering), and while he had bought both previous iPhone models on launch, even he turned up at 5.40am, only an hour before we did – no happy campers anywhere.
That matches with what analysts have been saying. One at CCS Insight, Ben Wood, predicted as much: “Interest in the iPhone 3G S has been high, but actual demand appears subdued compared to the last two launches. Most current owners of the iPhone 3G have months left to run on their contracts and the upgrade costs of breaking a contract are prohibitive for all but the most dedicated Apple devotees.”
On the plus side, if you are in the market for an iPhone 3G S, it does look like you’ll be able to pick one up with little difficulty from day one, but be sure to let us know how you’re finding the first day with the new iPhone.
Out Now | £varies | Apple (Via The Telegraph)
