Supply Shortages Plague AT&T iPhone 4 Roll Out

[Michael Essany]

Over the weekend, MMi exclusively reported a leak from AT&T Ninja about the iPhone 4 shipment to retail stores - an arrival that was to come in two waves - an early one Monday night and a stealth 2nd shipment Tuesday between 10:30 and noon. It turns out that all suspicions of a quick sell out have materialized, as we're now hearing from readers via Twitter (with pics to prove it) that lines outside some AT&T stores are much bigger than their inventories of new iPhones.

According to one report, an individual was number 52 in line. The store, however, ran out of phones two customers ahead of him. 40 "reservation papers" were distributed for later today - more evidence of that second shipment expected shortly. With more reports surfacing at a rapid pace that many AT&T retail outlets only have fifty or so iPhones in store at the moment, lines of 100 people or more will likely result in substantial frustration for those who are experiencing the same supply shortages that they faced when standing in line - also to no avail - last Thursday at their nearest Apple store.

As we learned (some of us with bitter tears) Apple had only a scarce quantity of iPhones available for customers who didn't successfully place their preorders on June 15th before the great server meltdown of 2010 - the most frenzied and unprecedented consumer outpouring in AT&T's online history. Today, June 29th, was all but overtly designated as the day where customers who couldn't preorder could finally get their handset on a first-come, first-served basis while "supplies last." Although AT&T was endeavoring "to ensure an extraordinary customer experience," it doesn't appear that it will be mission accomplished just yet, as demand continues to outpace even the most aggressive efforts to adequately supply retail outlets carrying the iPhone 4.




More experiences from our friends on Twitter:

avatarr
@modmyi Can't say how many people were there (maybe 100), but the Manassas VA AT&T store only got 10 32GB iPhone 4's for the release today.

Gen_Genocide
@modmyi 35 phones left. Second shipment around 12:00 pm central time. http://yfrog.com/1x4x1bj

prettymuchryan
@modmyi got mine this morning in boston. stores i called said they got 30 in this morning and will have another shipment of 30 later today.

researchermo
@modmyi was in line, Jefferson City, MO. ATT said they had plenty & getting more later today

jaywigley
@modmyi Knoxville TN AT&T store ran out of 32GB iPhone 4 almost right away. More stock coming of all sizes "after lunch."

Steve_Squirrel
@modmyi Stood in line this morning @ 6AM in Philly. Sold out of the 32GB in 5 minutes. Gave us a reservation for later shipment @ noon.

andrewTui
@modmyi att in arizona has 14 total phones but 20 more will be in later today

AppleHotTips
@modmyi just got my iPhone4 today. Arrived at the store at 5am, had the phone in hand by 7:15am. Only 28 people in our line... Success!

[DayumQuitPlayin]

Good thing I already have mine. Just wished it worked lol.

[Amraam]

how often are Apple stores getting them in? I missed out on launch day, and put my name down on the notifaction/priority list and I havent heard anything yet

[reyg25atx]

I am digging that chick in the second pic with the black t shirt and tight jeans. BUT What the heck is up with the Doily type vest?!!! Excuse me Miss May I borrow your doily so I can place my frosty beer mug on this table so I do not put a water stain on it? I left my coasters at home.

[mj0528]

was that Geohot and Comex in line? I sure hope so!

[JedixJarf]

Well the ATT here had about 60 this morning and I was #8, store opened at about 7:02 got out of the store at 7:08.

[justdan0227]

Well I just called up 2 stores (10:25 CDT) and they said they still have iPhone 4 and there is no line, so I'm leaving work to get mine.

UPDATE: Walked in to North Texas AT&T and walked out 5 min later with my iPhone 4.0 No reception problems here. love it

[gameviper]

I got mine today love it!!! Except for this dang antenna thing

[xyx]

I walked in around 10am just to see if they had any and the FedEX truck was unloading the 2nd shipment...I was tempted to buy a black one....but alas...I'll wait for white.

[convlkt]

The huge dude in the red shirt has a better chance of seeing an iphone 4 before he dies than he does his dingaling

[RICO_]

Would it kill these people to just wait a few weeks for the damn phone? Honestly.....

[SchmilK]

Greetings Gen_Genocide!! That picture of Borders in the background sure looked familiar...



Nice to see a local report from modmyi

[thetoothfairy]

Wanted to get one on launch day but wanted the white one.... good thing I waited because of the few problems with it the iPhone4 but excited to get the new one for sure! By the time I get one it might not have the problems the iPhone4 does right now. I do not know why the white ones have not been released yet!

This happened last year as well. It will take awhile before Apple catches up with the people wanting them and the orders....

[RyanWS]

IM IN MANASSAS VA TOO HOLY CRAP. small world.

[mj0528]

^ that chick does have a nice pooper

[realjaja]

Good thing I already have mine. Just wished it worked lol.

same here... go dev team go!

(or maybe i should just get a prepaid sim from att for the time being...)

[imnew2hu]

This is correct i Work For att retail salesforce

[mikerlx]

signin with att in october when tmobile contract is done and i am sure white iphone 4 will be readily available by then

[techmarine1992]

Got mine on launch day last thurs, and for all who worry bout the antenna, mine doesn't have this prob, and if it does, no worries, apple will fix it

[blackgoat226]

I woke up at 7am today after reading last night that they would have 2 shipments for today, and the forum insider didn't let me down. My position in line didn't get me an iPhone from the first shipment so they gave me a little stub to hold one for me at 8:30am, then at 10:30am the AT&T store manager called me to come pick up my iPhone so it wasn't bad at all.