At&t Reps Denying New Iphone Hardware

PirateNinja

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So im currently deployed here in iraq and just recently my wife and i finally decided to switch over to AT&T to get a pair of IPhones for us. while at the AT&T store over at Tacoma, WA she asked about the new IPhone Hardware that is speculated to be coming out this summer. The rep replied with,

"No, there is no new IPhone redesign or hardware coming out this summer, there is a new update coming"

And there is where she told my wife about the 3.0 update. My wife told me that this info was coming from the stores GM


Anyone ealse get this reply when you ask an AT&T rep about the speculated IPhone update? (Iphone HD, Next Gen Iphone, etc . . . )
 

Jeremy

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Never ever listen to these people... 9 times out of 10 you can learn more by coming to this forum rather than listening to them.
 

John T

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"No, there is no new IPhone redesign or hardware coming out this summer, there is a new update coming"
Very good! ;) Just think about it, these reps are Salesmen - nothing more, nothing less. Their job is to sell 'phones - nothing more, nothing less. If they told people that a new model was coming out later in the year - they'd never sell anything 'till then :D
 
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Allyson Kazmucha

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AT&T reps aren't very trustworthy, nor very knowledgeable most of the time. As badash has stated, I would probably trust people from these forums before an AT&T rep.
 

jamesus

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Very good! ;) Just think about it, these reps are Salesmen - nothing more, nothing less. Their job is to sell 'phones - nothing more, nothing less. If they told people that a new model was coming out later in the year - they'd never sell anything 'till then :D

Exacty.............
 

schartzr

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I had the same thing happen to me. I went in to get a temporary phone until June as mine took the crapper. The lady asked if I had tried the iPhone I said that I already had one on my other account and I was waiting for the new one to come out in June. She said there is nothing new coming out and all there was was the 3.0 software upgrade. I told her that she really needed to read up more on this stuff and told her to head over to this site. She still kept saying that there was nothing new coming out. So I asked her if she was an Apple employee and had the inside scoop, she said nope and that was the end of it. LOL
 

cyberbob

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Flashback: This is the same thing they said last year about the 3G iPhone. As stated above, they are not going to tell you wait a couple of months to get a new device because they can't live without sales for two months.

Some AT&T reps are stupid. Others just pretend to be. Even if they KNEW 100% that a knew iPhone was coming they wouldn't tell you. I've have them tell me they didn't know anything about devices that had already been publicly announced. I can't remember the last time I spoke with a rep that knew as much about the products as I do and that DIDN'T give me misinformation.
 

bergman

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Most are just retail clerks, not enthusiasts like us. Also, AT&T probably does keep them in the dark until a product arrives. When I bought my Palm Centro (seems like a real dinosaur now!), the clerks in the ATT shop hadn't even unboxed one yet. I called and asked them if they had any in stock on launch day.
 

John T

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......I was waiting for the new one to come out in June. She said there is nothing new coming out and all there was was the 3.0 software upgrade.
I wouldn't be too hard on her! Apart from not saying "As far as I know..." she was quite correct! At this moment in time, the so-called "New" iPhone is nothing more than rumour and conjecture. Just got my fingers crossed that it's going to be a fact! :D
 

icebike

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ON THE OTHER HAND...

My ATT rep (we are a business account) tells me the truth about everything I ask, as best as I can tell. If he can't tell me (due to policy) he just says that, and I respect that.

I asked him about the iphone failure rate and he says its higher than you might think for the early phones, but Apple is standing behind the phone with solid warranty.

I asked him how long it would take to get 3G in our outlying area, and he told me an estimate that proved accurate to within 30 days.

At the time I placed the corporate order for multiple lines I asked him what some of the biggest complaints about the phone were and he listed them (all of them that we enthusiasts know well).

If you deal with a kiosk droid you get kiosk answers.
If you go into the ATT store you get better answers.
If you talk to the customer service rep you get better answers still.

There is nothing new here.
 

icebike

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Never ever listen to these people... 9 times out of 10 you can learn more by coming to this forum rather than listening to them.

There are far more bogus rumors started here in these forums than at ATT.

The difference is that the forum is self correcting over time, whereas nobody goes back to ask ATT the same question after new info comes to light.
 

lagmefragme

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I must say that I had a similiar expierence. Bought an iPhone for my wife in Jan and then one for myself at the end of March. I returned in early April to feel the waters out on returning mine (within the 30 days) and getting one later in the year when it was clear what the new hardware was.

The AT&T store rep was first saying that there categorically is not going to be a hardware refresh... just the OS update. I proceeded to tell him that I think he's wrong and the reasons why. Made no difference to him he still said that he had no doubts that new hardware wasn't happening.

So then I broached the subject about returning my iPhone to wait for the hardware announcement. At first he started with, the idea that if there is new hardware AT&T and Apple would give all current iPhone users upgrade pricing (without having to wait till the end of the 2 year contract (really upgrade pricing actually starts between 1.5 and 1.75 years after the signed contract date).

To which I explained I just spent $300... I don't want to turn around and spend another $300 when the new iPhone comes out. He then said I could return it and revert back to my old phone and then get the iPhone after the hardware picture works itself out but then I wouldn't get upgrade pricing on another iPhone... I could only get upgrade pricing on a different phone. I'd have to wait the 1.5+ years out to get upgrade pricing on an iPhone.

I then spoke to a manager and he gave me the same story. It seems returning an iPhone negates your ability to later get upgrade pricing on one until the appropriate amount of time has gone by. I sent a few emails to at&t customer support to ask about that as well but got nothing back (haven't looked at my contract to verify if what they said was true or not).
 
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PirateNinja

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yeah from experience i have learned to not trust sales reps about any new information concerning rummored upcoming devices. they always want to just make that sale and will say and do anything to get it. i dont even have my iphone yet and i already know from this forum that ill be very happy about switching over from my blackberry to an iphone.

and with this new iphone on the way i can always just sell my 8gb for the new one ;)
 

John T

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The AT&T store rep was first saying that there categorically is not going to be a hardware refresh... just the OS update.
Correct! Hardware update is pure rumour and conjecture!
To which I explained I just spent $300... I don't want to turn around and spend another $300 when the new iPhone comes out. He then said I could return it and revert back to my old phone and then get the iPhone after the hardware picture works itself out but then I wouldn't get upgrade pricing on another iPhone... I could only get upgrade pricing on a different phone. I'd have to wait the 1.5+ years out to get upgrade pricing on an iPhone.

I then spoke to a manager and he gave me the same story. It seems returning an iPhone negates your ability to later get upgrade pricing on one until the appropriate amount of time has gone by. I sent a few emails to at&t customer support to ask about that as well but got nothing back (haven't looked at my contract to verify if what they said was true or not).
I'm not familiar with AT&T's contracts. In the UK, O2 contracts appear to be simpler - and cheaper! However, wherever you are the principals are the same. When you sign a contract for a 'phone, you agree to pay a (reduced) fee for the actual 'phone and thereafter, for an agreed length of time, to make monthly payments to the network provider. The monthly payment covers call time, web browsing etc etc together with (on cheaper contracts) a small cost to cover the balance of the cost of the actual 'phone. In return, the network provider agrees to furnish you with the relevant network facilities and maintenance of the 'phone. At the end of the contract period, you can either continue the existing contract - at a reduced rate because the 'phone has now been paid for - or you can retain the original 'phone and take out a further contract for a new one.

Should you wish to cancel the contract before the agreed time, (this is what I gather you wanted to do.) you are, in law, effectively breaking it. The only way you can do this to pay it off by way of a "penalty fee" which usually consists of a percentage of what you would have paid should you have completed the original contract. You are then free to purchase a new 'phone and start a new contract.

Obviously, different providers have have a multitude of schemes to cover early contract completion, but, in essence this is the usual procedure.

Hope this helps :)
 

lagmefragme

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That's a good explanation and I understand all that...

To further explain what I was trying to say... here in the US you have a 30 day out clause. Basically if you don't like the phone or the service for any reason you have 30 days to return it (no questions asked) and quit the contract. I was within the 30 day window.

So I could return the phone and cancel the contract on that phone with no problems. And get a full refund (-10% restocking).

I was testing the water on if I could do that and revert back to my old phone for a few months, wait until it was clearer whether or not new hardware was coming, then get the discounted pricing later. At anytime I could get discounted pricing on any other phone except the iPhone. I would have to wait out the ~1.5-1.75 years before once again getting discounted pricing on another iPhone.

Now... to explain why this perplexes me. Several years back I bought a flip phone for my wife. She didn't like the fact that I just got it for her so she returned it and got something different. She didn't like what she got for herself so returned that and ended up getting the phone that I had originally got her. Both returns were done no questions ask within the 30 days (-10% restocking) and all phones were purchased with discounted pricing like you get when you sign a new contract.
 
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John T

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No, I don't follow that either!

I'm in a similar position to you. My contract ran out at the end of March. I'd buy a new iPhone now but I want MMS so will wait 'till May/June for the new OS 3.0. I explained the situation to O2 and, as they suggested, I've kept my original 'phone and they've put me on a new Monthly contract (which happens to be a lot cheaper! :)) The reason for the monthly contract is that I can now cancel any time and, depending on when in the month I cancel, will only incur a minimal cancellation fee - if any. :D

I would have thought AT&T would have had a similar scheme. Worth checking out?
 

lagmefragme

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I'm past the 30 day timeframe now so it's moot. I added it to this thread because of a similar experience that I had to the original poster.

I'd been contemplating an iPhone for 6 months or so. My wife knew she wanted one. So when her upgrade availability came she got it right away. Having one in the house and me still using an old Blackjack just made me even more unhappy with what I was using so I broke down and upgraded to the iPhone too.

Then to get familiar with the device I started reading various websites (primarily TiPB now) and became convinced that there will be new hardware (yeah, it's rumor but the way things are adding up it is a good bet in my opinion). That's when I went back to the AT&T store to find out about returning the iPhone and waiting out the rumors.

Right now if there is new hardware I'll just have to weigh the costs vs benefits of what the new hardware is. I'll also have to look at ebaying the 3g. It also depends on what exactly is changed (if it's just a camera or just more memory than I won't but if it is a bigger change, HD or processor, I may take the plunge).

Anyways, after you complete your two year AT&T contract, AT&T immediately switches you into month to month with the same features and payment as the original contract. You don't have to explicitly sign a new month-to-month specific contract in order to continue service. You can cancel at anytime with no penalty after the switch to month-to-month.