Where to buy: Apple store or AT&T store?

If you are an existing AT&T Wireless subscriber, there is a selection for this with the iTunes activation process and you enter your AT&T Wireless cell phone number. You can't change your existing calling plan as part of the iPhone activation process so the only selection is the required $20/month data plan which includes 200 SMS messages with an additional option to have 1500 SMS messages or unlimited SMS messages at an additional cost.

If you are subscriber with a different cellular provider, there is a selection for this also and you enter your account number and cell phone number if you want to port your existing number to AT&T Wireless.

Unless you are a new AT&T Wireless subscriber with no credit or poor credit, no deposit will be required.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/usingiphone/activation.html

Agreed! I was a little disappointed that my iPhone came in a White & Orange garbage bag at the AT&T store. The apple store give you a sleek black bag (not plastic... lol). Besides of the bags... APPLE knows their product. At the iPhone launch I talked to the att reps and walked THEM through what the phone could do.

The price is the same at each location so it makes no difference where you purchase your iPhone.

AT&T Wireless does not handle any repairs or exchanges under warranty regardless. Repairs or exchanges under Apple's warranty are handled entirely by Apple, not AT&T Wireless.

If you purchase your iPhone from AT&T Wireless but later decide not to keep the iPhone for whatever reason and want to return it for credit (which can be done within 14 days after the purchase date), you must return the iPhone to the AT&T Wireless Store where purchased. If opened when returned for credit, you will be charged a 10% restocking fee. If unopened, you will be credited in full.

It makes absolutely zero difference where purchased since Apple handles any and all warranty related issues regardless.

Definitely go to an Apple store. Not only are they more knowledgeable, they have a huge selection of cases and other accessories. There is also a lot of other cool stuff at the Apple store to play with and/or buy. What else of interest is there at the AT&T store to look at? Maybe it's just me but I could spend all day (and all of my money) at an Apple store.

Also, since you can activate the phone yourself on iTunes you don't even ever have to talk to a cell phone salesperson if you don't want to. After all of my experiences with cell phone stores, their salespeople and their service, the fact that I could do the entire process myself, including porting my phone number over from Sprint, on iTunes was almost as exciting as getting the iPhone itself. My phone number was ported over in a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon from when I requested it online.

If you value the store experience, experienced salespeople and being able to browse lots of accessories, you would probably be happier with the Apple store.

As others have mentioned, the product is the same and you set it up on itunes at home. Buying from the AT&T store is akin to buying online where you do all of your homework and research beforehand and there is no real help or need for a salesperson. That worked great for me as I'd had plenty of time to check it out ahead of time, but some purchases are cooler when you have the purchase "event".

Don't expect the AT&T folks to help or know much.

Dano

it doesn't matter where you buy the iPhone when i went last monday to get a iPhone I went to the at&t store since the apple store were sold out. just go where ever they have stock. The at&t store I went to were knowlegable and I asume I would have gotten the same experience.

This is how I approached it. I didn't have any questions - in fact I was answering a few questions others had while in line on 6/29 and I only needed to complete the sales transaction and go.

I like visiting Apple Stores but since I rarely leave without buying something, I'm glad there isn't an Apple Store where I live. ;~)

Yeah, definitely go to the Apple store. AT&T people really aren't very nice and will have no idea what they are talking about. Plus, the Apple Store will have more accessories that you might want.

Apple store. Only Apple store!!!!!!!

I was an AT&T customer already but only had negative experiences with their sales staff. And that is what you will find at their stores- Sales Staff. Conversely, at Apple you will find bright and helpful people who know their stuff and do not work on commission. They will spend time with you, answer your questions and will not push product; as a result, you will leave feeling satisfied. And if you are not satisfied with your iPhone and need to replace it, they will treat you just as well as they did when you bought it.

I cannot stress this enough: Apple store!

It is not that the AT&T store employees are nice or not. For me it is the fact that they try to push everything else on you like all the accessories. Some have reported that they were practically forced to be an accessory package before they would be sold an iPhone.

I ended up buying at ATT for a specific reason... Once I confirmed it was a keeper (which it is), I will be switching my whole family over from Verizon. If you buy at ATT, they have a promotion with up to 4 free phones with the family plan. This would not be available if iphone purchased thru apple store (at least according to att rep).

AT&T provides only the voice mail platform and rate plan for the IPHONE.. employees were only trained for those reasons. thats why a 124 page manual was included with the phone. anything that deals with the device or software is strictly dealt with by apple. thats why when you call into AT&T and they don't know anything..why bash them when they only sell the device for apple..

I bought at an AT&T store. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable and answered all questions I had about the phone. I was not forced or pushed into buying any accessories. ....maybe this was an exception rather than the rule...don't know.

The only reason I would recommend Apple Store is that you can exchange the phone on-site versus having to wait for a replacement/repaired phone in the mail IF you need to exchange it.

That's the problem I had...the AT&T store said they couldn't do anything for me...they were limited by Apple in what they could do warranty-wise....something to do with the serialization of the phones. AT&T iPhones are assigned a different set of serial numbers than the Apple phones. I guess Apple wants to see how many are returned through the AT&T channel.

It was a ***** trying to get Apple to exchange my phone in-store (it was the low volume issue)...had to have AT&T reps help me out there...ended up talking to geniuses, customer reps, managers and finally, Apple gave in and sent my phone for repair and gave me a phone on-site w/o charging me the $29 rental fee. I couldn't believe they wanted to charge me a rental fee for a temporary phone while they had mine repaired....especially when it was being repaired for a manufacturing defect. I could understand if it was being repaired for something I did...but that wasn't the case.

Cingular never did that to me...they always sent me a replacement phone (for free) first before asking me to send in my phone for repair.

Well..for what it's worth.

I also had the same experience at the AT&T store but i don't know about not getting the phone replaced in a apple store o well I guess I well find out when I go to the apple store next time I will ask them.

I bought from an AT&T store because the 2 Apples stores in town were sold out of the iPhones. I just happened to pop into the AT&T store right after they got a shipment in that Monday morning.

If you are just gonna get the phone, and not need to ask questions, then it shouldn't matter were you get it.