Verizon iPhone 4 Debut: The Big Fizzle

10.02.2011
The Apple Store in Walnut Creek, Calif., a shopping mecca 30 miles east of San Francisco, seemed overstaffed today, as employees served only a handful of customers. There were no lines. In fact, no one was even milling around the Verizon iPhone table. Three employees rushed me as I entered.

Across the country, few lines formed at Apple Stores.Only eight people were waiting at Apple's flagship store in New York just before it opened, . Early reports blamed the chilly weather. In Walnut Creek, though, the sun was shining.

But today was the long-awaited launch of the Verizon iPhone 4. Pre-orders available to existing Verizon customers sold out last week in a matter of hours, although Verizon declined to quantify the number of pre-orders. Either way, today was supposed to be another Apple bonanza at its stores.

So why the bust?

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To be fair, we won't know if it's a bust until Verizon tallies the units sold. But rest assured that both Apple and Verizon expected customers storming the front doors. Steve Jobs can't be pleased. Apple is known for long lines and excited customers, but today the prevailing image is a bunch of Apple employees in blue shirts standing around with nothing to do.