Apple's New iPhone 4S Draws A Crowd
Hundreds of metro Detroiters stood in line for the new iPhone 4S Friday morning as it went on sale at Verizon Wireless and AT&T stores, among other places.
At Verizon's store on Ford Road west of Telegraph Road in Dearborn, Joe Wear of Wyandotte was customer No. 1 in line.
"My wife's been wanting one, and the baby wouldn't let us sleep last night so I was up anyway," Wear joked.
Wear said he was buying Apple because "it's actually cheaper than the Droid as far as I know, and the voice activation really turned me on as far as not having to use my hands to command the phone."
Wear also said he thought Apple could keep its gadget mojo going despite the recent death of co-funder Steve Jobs.
"My grandfather bought Apple stock when it was $7 and he's been an Apple fan for a while and he's very tech savvy, and he's convinced Apple will be able to stay the course," Wear said.
Customer No. 10, David Gurley of Dearborn, said he arrived early at the store because he had heard Verizon might have run out. He said the phone was a Sweetest Day gift for his wife, and that he liked Apple products because they were so easy to use.
Paul Boblitt, assistant manager of the store, said Verizon had plenty of inventory to satisfy first-day customers.
Verizon offered the following tips for a smooth switchover to the iPhone 4S:
* If you want to keep and transfer your current phone number to your new device, do not cancel your current service provider just yet: Your current account and phone number must be kept active until a Verizon Wireless sales representative transfers your current, active number to your new account during the sales transaction. Once this happens, your former carrier will be notified that your account is now terminated, and your friends, family and business contacts can continue to reach you at the same number they all know.
* Don't erase your contacts; keep your contacts in your current phone for easier transfer: Depending on your current device, there are applications and programs available to move your contact information to your new phone wirelessly. For example, if you're already an iPhone user, your contacts will sync automatically via iTunes.
* Turn that old phone into a gift card, or donate it to a great cause: When you're making a new purchase, you have two great options for that used phone: Take advantage of the Verizon Wireless trade-in program: Regardless of carrier, Verizon Wireless accept all devices and models. You can use the website (www.trade-in.vzw.com) to get an idea of how much your device is worth and receive a Verizon Wireless gift card for its estimated value; or donate your no-longer-used phone to the Verizon Wireless HopeLine program: HopeLine recycles no-longer-used phones from any carrier and uses the proceeds to provide wireless devices, airtime and grants to local domestic violence shelters. You'll be helping someone in need and doing your part for the environment.
* Pick service plans that best fit your family's lifestyle: You might also want to consider moving your whole family to Verizon Wireless to take advantage of cost-saving Family SharePlans. A Family SharePlan with Friends & Family will shave money off your bill and allow you to pool minutes, texts and more on up to five handsets.
* If you're a new Verizon Wireless iPhone user, save the voicemails from your current phone: the iPhone 4S on Verizon Wireless uses a different voicemail system than other devices. If there are voicemails on your current device that you wish to keep, be sure to preserve them before making the switch. Just follow these instructions to save your important messages.
