Apple and AT&T to launch iPhone 3G a lot sooner than we think?
Well, here’s the story. Let’s start this off by saying that we think this might be a little bit too early, but you never know with Apple. Anyways, we told y’all last year before the first iPhone launched that AT&T employees were not allowed to take vacations from June 15th to July 15th. AT&T reps just got an internal email stating that they would be unable to take vacation time from 4/15-5/15 "due to projected increased traffic and an exciting new promotion/product launch." We’re only 10 days away from the end of that time frame and with no Apple event in the next week or so, it seems highly unlikely that a new iPhone will launch. Then again, the only other time AT&T has done this was last year before the first iPhone launched. What do y’all think? Think some Apple event invites will start getting sent out in the next couple days? Or is this way too soon?
UPDATE: Sorry, guys. We’re lacking some serious sleep over here. The dates are in fact June 15th to July 12th. Our apologies. The full internal email, after the jump!
AT&T Mobility
Vacation Schedules
To: All Employees
Last year at this time we asked that all vacations be scheduled before June 15 or after July 15, to ensure adequate store staffing and to give everyone an equal opportunity to benefit from an exciting product launch. Thanks to your hard work, we experienced excellent sales during the mid-summer period. This year, the numbers you produced in 2007 will be hard to beat; but as a business, we must rise to the challenge, and make every effort to exceed last year’s sales results. Your management team is counting on you!
We’ll meet the challenge “head-on” by providing an exciting Summer Promotional Launch to enable your sales to soar. We again anticipate heavier than normal customer traffic in our stores, providing an excellent earning opportunity for every front line retail sales consultant (RSC) in company owned retail stores.
To ensure proper staffing during this period, Sales personnel planning to take approved time off are encouraged to schedule their vacations before June 15 or after July 12 to participate in the heavy selling period
Previously approved vacation will be allowed where voluntary rescheduling is not feasible
No additional vacation will be approved for 6/15 – 7/12
If customer traffic is manageable, there may be an opportunity to approve vacation toward the end of the period. Managers will communicate updates as they become available.
On May 6, 2008 @ 12:38 pm, V Said:
hellz yea!
bring it on!
i need a new phone and if I can’t win engadgets shine, then this is definantly high up there on my list.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 12:38 pm, Greg B Said:
I think it’s weird AT&T employees would just now get an internal memo telling them they can’t take vacation from April 15 - May 15 when its already a week into May. Can they get in trouble retroactively for taking April 17th off??
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On May 6, 2008 @ 12:39 pm, jeepik Said:
would be nice if this was true, maybe they are doing internal training this month and releasing it in June
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On May 6, 2008 @ 12:41 pm, Todd Said:
probably just the MobileTV service
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:08 pm, keymaker Said:
It could be, do to the fact that Apple Likes to Reserved WWDC just for Developers & not to introduce new stuff. If a new iphone is introduce at WWDC, it’s going to take up the entire event between the new model & the SDK.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:10 pm, Seabass Said:
Let’s hope so! This might be my next toy.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:10 pm, ChrisNYC Said:
“maybe they are doing internal training this month and releasing it in June”
I’d tend to agree.
I heard tech support was a little lax on the first go around, so getting prepared in May for June makes sense.
Everyone *relax*… people are dying in cyclones, and rioting over rice. Your 3G iPhone is coming shortly, and it’s going to be hawt.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:10 pm, yo Said:
This is to coincide with the BB 9000 release…
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:12 pm, Mike Said:
Possible, but if there is to be an Apple event in the next ten days, the invites would need to go out this week. Apple has, and will introduce new products at WWDC. The SDK will definitely be a big topic, given the attention it has gotten in WWDC press and because its a DEVELOPMENT kit. the developer aspect this year IS the iPhone, not primarily the Mac.
that said, I would love it if they announced th iPhone sooner than later!
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:21 pm, James Said:
They are predicting increased traffic due to Mother’s Day Sales and Mobile TV lanching.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:26 pm, Ron Maroon Said:
Dudes, there will be an announcement in less than a day that this was an error, and they meant 6/15-7/15. Or a new HTC or something else is coming out… I wish it was iPhone but its not.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:27 pm, miltos Said:
I say too soon. We would have seen at least one or two reliable rumors in addition to this, and I think Apple wants to hit a grand slam with the 3G release so they aren’t going to rush it out the door (no more than any tech project always gets rushed out the door).
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:31 pm, miltos Said:
Hmmm - Another site (forgive me) says that the memo dates are actually June 15-July 12 (or maybe it’s a different memo).
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:31 pm, joe Said:
no launch. heard that at&t is buying sprint, verizon was buying sprint, and that t-mo was buying sprint. then tomorrow Apple is buying t-mo and taking over cellular communications.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:31 pm, wurley turley Said:
hmmm i just got back from vacataion no one told me i couldn’t go… training at the end of may…
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:32 pm, Roy Said:
Uhh. They just got a memo that says they’re not allowed to take vacations for the last 3 weeks and for the next week?
What is the point of that memo and how is this breaking news?
Unless your dates are screwed up your headline is terribly misleading.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:44 pm, Christian Parrilla Said:
Engadget is reporting a internal memo from a AT&T employee but the dates are June 15 to July 12 for the possible launch. Not sure whom is right but Engadgets time frame seems more resonable.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 1:48 pm, MadMike Said:
You know what would be funny - if they “released” the 3G iPhone on 4/15 and didn’t tell anyone and have it look and act identical to the current iPhone.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 2:18 pm, YoYo Said:
yea. wake up one morning and the E says 3G on my phone.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 2:38 pm, Joshua M Said:
@Wurley
check your emails
Joe L sent it
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On May 6, 2008 @ 3:40 pm, Silent Q Said:
The actual MEMO states that this year the block out dates for vacation are 6/15-7/12
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On May 6, 2008 @ 3:51 pm, ezrunner Said:
This really bytes. my entire family will be here the last week of that blackout period
I am not very happy with this BS
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On May 6, 2008 @ 6:02 pm, impaler Said:
Not happening. Wishful thinking folks. Watching you all salivate makes me smile.
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On May 6, 2008 @ 6:17 pm, JJIrons Said:
It’s Bush’s fault!
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On May 6, 2008 @ 8:27 pm, NickTech Said:
I think you may have the wrong date, i heard that it was from july15 to june 15 but im not sure
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