In an interview with Bloomberg, Apple retail chief Ron Johnson said the company expects the in-store setup process for the iPhone 3G to take around 15 minutes, including credit check and activation. “Our expectation is that in 10 to 15 minutes, you’ll be set up and ready to go,” said Johnson, adding that each of Apple’s more than 185 retail stores in the U.S. are aiming to handle about 100 customers an hour.
Speaking about supply, Johnson said, “You’ve got pent-up demand because we haven’t had phones for a while. Our goal is to always have enough supply for every customer.” Johnson also said customers would need a credit card and Social Security number for activation, mirroring Apple’s “What to bring” information from its website, and added that although the stores will be handling 30 customers at a time, they won’t be rushed. “We’ll spend as long as it takes with our customers to make sure they’re happy with the phone,” he said.
Apple will begin sales of the iPhone 3G at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, July 11.
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