After months of anticipation and years of speculation, both Apple and Verizon itself today marked the launch of the Verizon iPhone 4. Initial reports suggest mixed lines at both locations. Regardless of whether it’s an Apple, Best Buy or Verizon store, some report very few in line, even at Apple’s 5th Avenue flagship, where others are seeing significant queues. Staff have been on hand to guide launches where queues existed.
Per Electronista, the modest turnout is roughly in step with past Verizon launches but may be affected both by Apple’s own launch strategy. Many if not most existing Verizon customers already bought the phone through online reservations and led to the carrier’s best-ever first day sales just by themselves. Early adopters have the option of getting the phone at Best Buy and Walmart today as well, where past launches have often removed one or both of these chains as options.
Timing is also likely to have guided many buyers’ decisions. Apple’s choice to launch at 7AM, mid-week in February has deterred some from standing in line in the cold. The knowledge that a CDMA iPhone 5 is likely to ship in four to five months’ time is known to have stopped technology enthusiasts or more patient buyers from signing up.
Even so, the sales have been enough that they triggered a slowdown in Motorola sales at Verizon as a significant number of customers held off on Android phones. An unusually large number of buyers are moving from the original Droid and the Droid X as well as BlackBerry devices, especially the touchscreen BlackBerry Storm.
If you have any Verizon iPhone 4 line stories to share, send them along.
Also, this whole “choice of carriers” thing…you could get used to it.