The iPhone Moment

[Editor's Note: Much of this post is recast from experiences blogged 12 months ago at Microsoft Watch.]

I covered the iPhone launch for eWEEK at the Apple Store in Montgomery Mall, Bethesda, Md., on June 29, 2007. I had planned to brave the traffic and drive to Tysons Corner in McLean, Va., where the very first Apple Store is located. But the company's PR reps suggested Montgomery Mall.

Not since the launch of Windows 95 had I seen such fervor, such excitement for the release of a new technology product. But there was a qualitative difference from Windows 95, which Apple helped foster: a sense of community and belonging. Something else: Many people I spoke to in line waiting to buy an iPhone had some sense of being caught up in a historical moment. This year-old podcast gives some sense of the energy and community generated by the people waiting to be among the first to spend $600 on a cell phone.

"I think this is a day that you're going to see a change in how computers, how handheld computers are done," iPhone buyer Steve told me. "It's a little marketing history. I'm seeing it that way...I think we'll look back in 10 or 15 years, and like on that day the gadget came out—same thing with iPod—it changed the game."

iPhone buyers Chris, Steve and Eddie show off their old mobiles.

A year later, it's hard to disagree with Steve's sentiments, although the look-back period is more measured in months than years. Windows Mobile reached Version 6 last year. Yet no Windows Mobile-based cell phone ever garnered near as much interest or fanaticism as iPhone. Nokia is the mobile kingpin, measured in market share, but none of its cell phones generated such excitement as iPhone. But the early leaders are now followers, introducing iPhone concepts such as multitouch in newer devices.

Strangely, many iPhone imitators continue to court geeks in their approach; iPhone's appeal is broader. The people I observed turning out to buy iPhones made up one motley group—representing a broad swath of America. I saw in the line people of all races, ages and lifestyles. For example, near the front waited a brawny Hispanic dude, with cut T-Shirt that exposed a praying hands tattoo on his upper right arm. He looked more like the kind of guy who works with metal, using his hands, rather than holding a pretty cell phone. Yet he was typical of the people waiting; they shattered geek stereotypes.

The line of strangers happily chatted, with me, with Apple employees and with each other. I walked the line, occasionally stopping to ask, "Show us your phones!" Many of the people in line held up BlackBerrys, Palms and Windows Mobile-based cell phones. Most of them were not Mac users, which surprised me. Again, shattered stereotypes.

I found that like Steve, many of the iPhone waiters had a sense of history, of participation—of belonging together, of being a community and part of something bigger. Apple contributed to these feelings, encouraged them. The first person in line got there at 4 a.m.; the mall let him and others inside around 7 a.m. Apple store employees brought the line waiters bottled water, snacks and coupons for discounted coffee throughout the day. Employees chatted with customers, adding to the reverie.

An Apple employee reaches to turn off an iPhone before store opening.

An hour before the doors opened at 6 a.m., employees ripped off the paper covering the display windows and set clocks on the two, large iPhone displays to count down the hour. When the store later opened, customers passed through a human alley of Apple employees, who cheered and clapped. The cheering and clapping resumed whenever iPhone buyers left or entered the store.

Apple employees made iPhone buyers feel special, even for just a few moments, which, by the way, is a good tactic for endearing customers to the product or brand. I'd like to think Apple can recreate the experience on July 11, when iPhone 3G launches. But the logistics will be more difficult, because of changes related to the phones now being subsidized.

Before the doors opened on iPhone a year ago, I asked Apple fan Chris if he was really buying an iPhone to be "cool." He admitted, "I do have my finger on the pulse of pop culture." Being cool is part of belonging, too, if by standing out.

"We live in a world of gadget envy now," said iPhone buyer Eddie. "There was a time when people judged you based on your clothes or what type of shoes you had. Now, it's like what kind of cell phone do you have. All these people who are standing in line will be cool people for the rest of the week, while everyone else is upset, secretly fuming because they didn't stand in line for one."

Apple employees greet customers as they enter the store to buy iPhones.

Watching those first buyers, I realized that, for a little while anyway, they would know who they were, the community they belonged to, by the iPhones they saw each other use. But I wonder how they feel now, a year later. The privilege of being first, of walking the human alley cost them $500 or $600—more with a phone case. The iPhone 3G's $199 pricing makes their phones less special and even less valuable.

Their club will be less exclusive as iPhone distribution expands first to 22 and later to 70 countries. But the community of users will grow, and the supporting iPhone services. For a device that maybe 6 million people use (less methinks), iPhone has brought computing change, like buyer Steve said it would. There are iPhone-specific Web pages everywhere. This afternoon, I got cash for an ATM, where an ad for mobile banking on iPhone flashed. The phone is the PC.

A year ago, I didn't fully grasp how much the iPhone moment would mean to computing. But I, too, had a sense of history and the passing of a defining moment. After finishing the interviews and taking pictures, I went to the back of the line. There I chatted with a Microsoft solution provider, who more fit my stereotype of an iPhone buyer: Older, white male, who is very much into technology and gadgets. While installing and servicing Microsoft software is his living, the solution provider personally used Apple products. He admitted running Windows XP on a Mac virtualized with Parallels.

We chatted for about 15 minutes, before getting to the front of the line and being ushered into the Apple Store. I got caught up in the moment, too.

Posted by Joe Wilcox on June 29, 2008 6:00 PM