Are all flagship phone releases this choppy?

[mg8r1016]

I am getting ready to by my first android device today...the 32gb S4. I am switching over from iOS land. I wanted the 32gb white version, but now it isn't even offered today, or only in limited availability. Are all major releases this unorganized? I know the discussion has been whether this is an AT&T or Samsung issue, not what I want to bring up. Just coming from apple where all versions are available at launch, didn't know if this was the standard on major launches?

On the flip side, very excited to make the switch to my new device/platform!!

 

[Subsound]

Unorganized? You do realize some carriers have exclusive rights to color options on the phones? and some have gone on backorder. Remember it took apple over 3 years before they even came out with a second color.

 

[EMY92]

Just coming from apple where all versions are available at launch, didn't know if this was the standard on major launches?

On the flip side, very excited to make the switch to my new device/platform!!

I just switched from the iphone a week ago. Isn't the iphone 4S the first to come our with both black and white at the same time?

Also, from the iphone forums, there seems to be as many complaints about the iphone immediately after release as the S4.

 

[ladyceres]

Absolutely! I bought the iPhone 3G and the 4 on release day, and there were crazy stock issues and plenty of software bugs each time. It's just par for the course. There's a teeny part of me that wonders if I should have just gone with the Galaxy S3 since there was none of that drama, but I suppose I am glutton for punishment being an early adopter.

 

[scorpiodsu]

I get what the OP is saying. Apple is probably the only manufacturer that gives a date when they announce the device and stick to it. For instance, everyone else will announce a device and it won't be available for months because they'll say "coming this summer" or "3rd quarter of X year" and then don't get firm dates all the time from carriers because they don't always know either. So I know exactly what the OP is saying about this especially since I've bought or followed iPhone at release and high end Androids. Apple isn't perfect but typically when it comes to the availability of their devices, they are forthcoming and meet the target date and don't have to push back release dates.

OP, get used to it with Android devices. Since these devices depend more on carriers for releases than iPhones you will see varied dates, delays at times and will not know when something is coming out because no one else will. They are good for announcing a device and not telling you exactly when it will be ready. And the funny part is that it's always a device that people are highly anticipating. If it's a phone that no one cares about, we'll know a month in advance when it will get available LOL.

 

[buckwheatdx]

Sometimes availability is short of demand and unexpected circumstances arise. And although apple usually does a fine job of retail launch coordination, I can recall that the iPhone 4 was supposed to launch in black and white from day one but had to keep getting pushed back due to production issues. I think it finally launched about 9 MONTHS later along with the Verizon version. Just saying, apple isn't immune to the occasional mislaunch.

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[scorpiodsu]

Sometimes availability is short of demand and unexpected circumstances arise. And although apple usually does a fine job of retail launch coordination, I can recall that the iPhone 4 was supposed to launch in black and white from day one but had to keep getting pushed back due to production issues. I think it finally launched about 9 MONTHS later along with the Verizon version. Just saying, apple isn't immune to the occasional mislaunch.

Posted via Android Central App

Which is why I said they aren't perfect. But that's an aberration. That's 1 color of a model in 6 releases. It's quite common with everyone else and that's the difference and that's exactly what the OP is seeing. So I am letting them know to not be surprised by these things because it's commonplace and don't expect the same type of schedule like Apple because it won't happen all the time.

It's like having a neat and clean desk and walking up to someone who has a messy one. From your perspective it looks unorganized but from their's it's fine and works well for them. Same thing here. Anyone coming from dealing with Apple on their iPhone releases could be in for a shock for some of Android release because it's not done with the same precision but it still gets done. A little different at times, misinformation from carrier reps at times and delay in releases occasionally, but it gets done. And for most of us, it's the norm and for others it's unorganized LOL.

 

[gollum18]

As far as I know there is only 2 colors for the s4, blue and white. The whole issue over carrying the 32gb is the carriers decision. Samsung would be more than happy to manufacture it because they get paid regardless of if the carriers sell their stock or not. The current reason for not carrying it in the U.S. is because it won't appeal to enough people to sell. But how can you make a decision like that when you haven't even tried to sell it in the first place.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[decepticlone]

As far as I know there is only 2 colors for the s4, blue and white. The whole issue over carrying the 32gb is the carriers decision. Samsung would be more than happy to manufacture it because they get paid regardless of if the carriers sell their stock or not. The current reason for not carrying it in the U.S. is because it won't appeal to enough people to sell. But how can you make a decision like that when you haven't even tried to sell it in the first place.

Exactly. I read that AT&T said the 16GB GS4 would be the main offering because the GS3 32GB demand was low. Well, they didn't have any 32GB GS3's available at launch, so how can you calculate demand? It's an arbitrary decision and a poor one at that. AT&T is known for very poor decisions. As to the OP's question, from my experience, yes, it is usually like this. It is very frustrating and the carriers just seem to completely disregard half of their customers because we're all locked in to contracts. They simply don't care.

As Sprint customer support once responded to me on the phone when I threatened to cancel and move to another carrier after they refused to explain a charge on my bill, "Fine, sir. Thank you for calling Sprint customer support.". LOL

 

[scorpiodsu]

As far as I know there is only 2 colors for the s4, blue and white. The whole issue over carrying the 32gb is the carriers decision. Samsung would be more than happy to manufacture it because they get paid regardless of if the carriers sell their stock or not. The current reason for not carrying it in the U.S. is because it won't appeal to enough people to sell. But how can you make a decision like that when you haven't even tried to sell it in the first place.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

Black and White....... Black Mist and White Frost to be exact LOL.

 

[scorpiodsu]

As far as I know there is only 2 colors for the s4, blue and white. The whole issue over carrying the 32gb is the carriers decision. Samsung would be more than happy to manufacture it because they get paid regardless of if the carriers sell their stock or not. The current reason for not carrying it in the U.S. is because it won't appeal to enough people to sell. But how can you make a decision like that when you haven't even tried to sell it in the first place.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

Agreed and I think that's why many were confused. Last year for the S3, 16GB and 32GB we available at release (at least for Verizon). This year it appears people are getting the run around about whether it's even going to be available on their carrier and that's what has some miffed. And then asking a rep in a store can be even more frustrating LOL. So it goes back to what the OP is seeing which is quite commonplace because not all the time do we have accurate info about these devices and then Samsung, HTC and others just sit back and not say one way or another and leave it to the carriers to deal with it. So I could see how it could be frustrating to some and not to others.

 

[snookasnoo]

The carriers run things when it comes to android phones. Not the manufacturers. Only Apple has the clout and balls to tell the carriers what to do. The carriers want low memory phones so you use as much bandwidth as possible.

Exactly. I read that AT&T said the 16GB GS4 would be the main offering because the GS3 32GB demand was low. Well, they didn't have any 32GB GS3's available at launch, so how can you calculate demand? It's an arbitrary decision and a poor one at that. AT&T is known for very poor decisions. As to the OP's question, from my experience, yes, it is usually like this. It is very frustrating and the carriers just seem to completely disregard half of their customers because we're all locked in to contracts. They simply don't care.

As Sprint customer support once responded to me on the phone when I threatened to cancel and move to another carrier after they refused to explain a charge on my bill, "Fine, sir. Thank you for calling Sprint customer support.". LOL

 

[Jtshurtleff]

I just switched from the iphone a week ago. Isn't the iphone 4S the first to come our with both black and white at the same time?

Also, from the iphone forums, there seems to be as many complaints about the iphone immediately after release as the S4.

The iPhone 3G and 3Gs came out with white and black versions at the same time, but you had to get a higher storage to get white on the 3G

 

[decepticlone]

The carriers run things when it comes to android phones. Not the manufacturers. Only Apple has the clout and balls to tell the carriers what to do. The carriers want low memory phones so you use as much bandwidth as possible.

You're absolutely correct. However much I despise Apple's arrogance and elitism, I do respect their power over the carriers, especially the old fools running AT&T.