Countdown to the iPhone 3G launch
July 8, 2008: 8:37 AM ET
With the July 11 launch date fast approaching, the machinery required to execute the worldwide release of Apple's second generation iPhone is kicking into gear. A timeline:
- Tuesday, July 1: Apple (AAPL) and AT&T (T) unveil details of their pricing plans. Apple issues a pair of video guided tours and AT&T publishes a checklist and video on how to get "iReady." (See A tale of two videos.)
- Friday, July 4: First line for the iPhone 3G starts forming outside the glass cube of Apple's flagship store in New York City.
- Sunday, July 6: Apple holds retail meeting to brief Apple Store employees on release-day plans. (See MacRumors here.)
- Monday, July 7: Telefonica's O2 UK division starts taking pre-orders online for iPhone 3Gs in England; sells out in three hours.
- Monday, July 7: Noon Pacific Time deadline for software developers to submit applications for sale on the App Store, Apple's venue for 3rd party software for the iPhone and iPod touch.
- Monday, July 7: Apple begins installing jumbo-size iPhone 3G displays in its U.S. stores. (See Gizmodo's slideshow here.)
- Wednesday, July 9: Apple's .Mac service scheduled to go offline between 6:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. PT to make way for MobileMe, a collection of Web services that will push e-mail, calendars and contacts to iPhones and desktop Macs. (See AppleInsider here.)
- Thursday, July 10: The first iPhone 3Gs go on sale in three New Zealand stores at 12:01 a.m. July 11 local time, which corresponds to 8:01 a.m. July 10 in New York City. (See here for the uproar in New Zealand over Vodafone NZ's pricing plans.)
- Friday, July 11: Doors open at 8:00 a.m. local time in 20 countries, moving east to west, at Apple Stores and the stores of local carriers. Lines are expected to move slowly as carriers perform credit checks and unbrick phones on site.
For a different kind of timeline, see the infographic published by iPhoneGold here. It starts in 1999, when Apple registered iPhone.org, and ends with the launch of the iPhone 3G. Its creators promise regular updates as important developments occur. (Click on the thumbnail to see the image full-size.)
[Apple Store display photo courtesy of Gizmodo.]
