AppleInsider Staff
Schiller was on hand at company's flagship shop on Regent St. in London, as were several television media crews and what appeared to be approximately 300 Apple retail staffers, according to Felix Kunze, who was among the first to purchase one of the touch-screen handsets after they went on sale at 6:02 p.m. Friday evening.
Customers waiting in line ahead of time were treated to freebees from Starbucks (coffee and mince pies), The Cloud WiFi (24 hour free trial), T3, ZDNet , Griffin (rain coats), and O2 (bottled water).
Apple opened the floodgates at approximately 5:55 p.m. and began ushering customers out of the cold and into the toasty retail shop, announcing (video) along the way that it was waiving the no cash restriction — but maintaining a 2 per person limit — for Friday only.
The line (video) is reported to have moved swiftly and within minutes customers were walking away with their new iPhones, which come packaged in a retail box that slightly larger than the U.S. version in order to accommodate the larger power adaptor.
For his part, Schiller spent time in between interviews with CNN and other media networks mingling with shoppers and absorbing feedback on their early impressions. The Apple VP appeared particularly interested in Kunze's experience in activating the iPhone — which he did in the store — as well as his overall impressions of wireless carrier O2.
Customers and staffers flood Apple's flagship shop on Regent St.
Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller was on hand to address the media.
Approximately 300 staffers were on call to help customers.
Kunze said he managed to activate three iPhones within a half hour, all from a MacBook Pro notebook he had been toting. Presumably, Apple had gone through great lengths to assure that activation issues, which marred early iPhone experiences for some U.S. customers back in June, were not repeated in the UK.
"The buzz in the store was tangible and Apple did another great job at public relations on this launch. I am happy to have been there," Kunze said.
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42 Comments
Schiller could sure stand to lose some weight... about 70 lbs.!
The activation was probably sped up because there are 240 million fewer people, hence fewer buyers, in the UK than in the US.
Schiller could sure stand to lose some weight... about 70 lbs.!
What an asinine comment to make, anywhere.
What an asinine comment to make, anywhere.
Actually your comment was asinine, for health reason he *needs* to lose that baggage. Looking at him reminded me I need to get back the gym actually. Even though I started back swimming last week :P
I think he may be trying to live up to the Woz a little too much
Schiller could sure stand to lose some weight... about 70 lbs.!
As long as he is not doing the "Microsoft, Microsoft, Developers, Developers" dance, he can grow as fat as a whale, as long as he feels fine. And even then... it's pretty much up to him, don't you think?
I, non-smoker and vegetarian, just spent an entire evening in an Irish Pub with people smoking and eating roasted lamb... The worst enemy of mankind is whoever thinks he/she can tell other people what is allowed or forbidden - if he/she comes dressed as Jesus, Allah, Jehova or Ophra - does not really matter.
The iPhone is great and - being German - I would kill for the British conditions, as usual T-Moron f@cked it up to the degree possible. Let's wait for France to save old Europe as usual (even with that brown dwarf leading them now).
By the way - after Apple being notably absent from all European fares and events - this was at least a small and welcome gesture after all. It has been noticed.