AT&T, O2 post updates on iPhone 3G stock situation, promise they don't have a secret cache

Conspiracy theories tend to run rampant when a phone (or any object of desire, for that matter) that's produced in absolutely enormous quantities dries up in retail locations. Are they really sold out? Is the retailer trying to work prospective buyers into a frenzied lather? Is the CEO sleeping on a bed fashioned of gilded iPhone 3Gs? The answer to that last question is very likely "yes" either way, but for their part, AT&T and O2 have both come out to promise customers that they're putting handsets out in retail just as quickly as they possibly can, with AT&T additionally noting that it's shipping out direct fulfillment orders on a "first-come, first-serve basis" with lead times currently running around two weeks -- in other words, "ship us some more frickin' phones, Apple." Seriously though, how's Apple going to come even close to keeping up with the next round of national launches when they're so woefully behind on the existing ones? And more importantly, if these execs would just sleep on queen-sized iPhone beds instead of king-sized ones, just imagine how many more happy customers we'd have out there?

Read - O2
Read - AT&T

[Kespar @ Jul 24th 2008 11:37AM]

there are stock shortages on the iphone 3g?

no freakin way.

[Tony2X @ Jul 24th 2008 12:55PM]

I knocked up a little Facebook/Popfly app to get the stock levels without having to wait until 9pm. It isn't in the Facebook search yet but you can add it from http://apps.facebook.com/iphonestock

I don't know how regularly it is updated but the data does change several times through the day and it makes use of a feed that exists on Apple's website.

It is purely for 'fun' and not guaranteed in any way to be real-time but I know a couple of people who used it and found it to be accurate. Now if only we could get a feed for queue lengths!

[fontendet24 @ Jul 24th 2008 6:50PM]

This stocks drain is because most buyers of new iPhone - IMMEDIATELY after purchasing - RESELL THEM ON EBAY FOR $1000-$1500 for many people in other countries, where iPhone not selling - like Emirates, China, Russia and other.
Earnings from reselling iPhone pays out any cancel fees of AT&T contracts and many people made a great profit this way.

Even if have an old one iPhone - you can resell it now for at least $400 (that's for 8Gb) - so you can buy new one for $200 - resell it for $1000 - and after paying cancel fees (±$200) - you've made a profit of thousand dollars.

[fontendet24 @ Jul 24th 2008 7:00PM]

People, you are so blind...
There isn't any iPhones in stores - but just look at eBay - hundreds of iPhones sold every hour...for $800 from original price.

[Rich @ Jul 24th 2008 11:44AM]

Only four iPhone stories today? C'mon Engadget, you can do better.

[dave @ Jul 24th 2008 11:55AM]

I think Apple is intentionally "dribbling" out product to stores to stay in the news. They could easily distribute all of their available product, but it would sell out in a day or two and there would be no more lines and no more news.

[Khris @ Jul 24th 2008 11:51AM]

No one forced you to read it, nevermind post about it.

[CraigJ @ Jul 24th 2008 12:44PM]

I don't think so. I think they are selling them as fast as they can build and ship them, and they are planning on launching in another 20 countries in August.

[Dave @ Jul 24th 2008 1:47PM]

As much as I don't like Apple, I have to agree with CraigJ...due to the weak dollar they would be much better suited to sell these in other parts of the world and capitalize on the currency arbitrage.

This is the same thing that happened with the Wii for a while (although we all know primarily the Wii was purposely left short in stock to create a sort of "fake" ongoing demand so Nintendo could streamline their console sales over more than one quarter/half year like the Xbox 360 initially did).

[geekmorgan @ Jul 24th 2008 11:48AM]

I went to an AT&T store on this past Saturday in Hudson NY, and ordered the White iPhone. I was told to expect a 10-21 day wait, but was surprised when I got a call on Tuesday saying it had come in! That's only 3 days, sure beat waiting in the heat outside a NYC apple store for 3 hours.

[dagamer34 @ Jul 24th 2008 11:56AM]

The white 16GB iPhone 3Gs have the lowest demand of the 3. However, if you had wanted a 16GB black, you'd definitely be waiting that long. I ordered mine on launch day July 11th and didn't get it until 10 days later, July 21st.

The good thing is that they are overnighting shipments to your store.

[CraigJ @ Jul 24th 2008 12:41PM]

After handling a friends black one, I'm going to get the white one. visible fingerprints on the front are more than enough for me.

[CraigJ @ Jul 24th 2008 12:43PM]

and by "black one" I mean iPhone. Get your mind outta the gutter.

[Veraxus @ Jul 24th 2008 1:11PM]

FYI, the white iPhone still has a black face. It's just the back that is white.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Jul 24th 2008 1:19PM]

I love my white 16 gig. It was indeed the only color left at the Apple store I bought it from, but I would've preferred it. Not only are the fingerprints lower, but most people thinki it's a limited edition.

[Frank Furter @ Jul 24th 2008 1:55PM]

And we know the only reason to buy an iPhone is to impress other people.

[Dave @ Jul 24th 2008 2:01PM]

@Frank

Thanks for displaying Apple's marketing for the last 5-7 years to 95% of their target market - 16 to 20 somethings trying to be "cool" or "different" (there still is that 5% that actually use Macs for Video/Music)

[CraigJ @ Jul 24th 2008 2:08PM]

"FYI, the white iPhone still has a black face. It's just the back that is white."

No Way.

[oli @ Jul 24th 2008 11:49AM]

I was at the Apple Store last week and was chatting to one of the guys there about the O2 stock situation - non of the store workers had anything good to say about O2 - he reckoned that because O2 made the business contracts their domain, Apple decided that the stock should be somewhat pulled back.

Who knows what goes on at Apple HQ but I think O2 aren't seen in the best light.

[Jay Garrett @ Jul 27th 2008 2:32PM]

Best thing is to go direct to the Apple Store.

I went and got hooked up with a white backed 16 gig iPhone on Saturday morning without trouble.

That was from the Regent Street Store, London.

http://idleparis.co.uk/all-white-now-i-finally-own-an-iphone-3g/

[Gray @ Jul 24th 2008 11:58AM]

That's NOTHING!

Canadians have been without 16GB Black iPhones since launch day, and most aren't expecting any until around August 15.

Suck it AT&T.

[Khris @ Jul 24th 2008 12:22PM]

Buy a white one and then get a black hard case for it. Problem solved!

[iEye @ Jul 24th 2008 12:23PM]

Thats because old man Ted Rogers is a douche bad and Apple decided to teach him a lesson about RAPE. Rogers tried to RAPE its customers with a n expensive data plan, so Apple decided that the iPhone shipments are better of going to other parts of the world...

[HARRYZWD @ Jul 24th 2008 11:59AM]

i didn't go into an apple store and i didn't order an iphone...so i don't have to wait for it. honestly....with so much else going on in the world why do people waste time speculating on stuff as stupid is this? or for that matter waste time posting comments that are even more stupid? OMGFTWWAP

Sent from my iPhone

[Khris @ Jul 24th 2008 12:21PM]

"or for that matter waste time posting comments"

Take some of your own medicine before prescribing it to others.

[Snitch @ Jul 24th 2008 12:22PM]

LOL, Dude you just answer your own question, and that's funny.

[karmaghost @ Jul 25th 2008 12:31PM]

"with so much else going on in the world why do people waste time speculating on stuff as stupid is this?"

Because this is a gadget blog, that's why. Go to a "feed the hungry" or a greenpeace blog if you're concerned about saving the world.

[sn3gsn3 @ Jul 24th 2008 12:00PM]

What! These are still selling after the true light has been shown!!!? Crippled Blutooth! 3g Speeds are is you lucky as a leprecunt, and gps is funny sometimes. Damn. us i-sheeps sure tolerate cr+ap from sTEVIE.

[AdvWar @ Jul 24th 2008 1:32PM]

Lol, sheeps

[cheb @ Jul 24th 2008 12:02PM]

just to let you guys know that a queen size bed its actually larger than a king sized one

[K Nang @ Jul 24th 2008 12:21PM]

errrrr.. no they're not

[Zal @ Jul 24th 2008 12:49PM]

No, it isn't.

[Whitetiger @ Jul 24th 2008 1:16PM]

Queen
(UK King) 60 × 78 in
152 × 198 cm 60 × 80 in
152 × 203 cm 63 × 79 in
160 × 200 cm
King
(UK Super King) 76 × 80 in
193 × 203 cm 72 × 80 in
183 × 203 cm 72 × 78 in
183 × 198 cm 71 × 79 in
180 × 200 cm

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed#Standard_sizes
Yes I know its wikipedia.

[Alex Padilla @ Jul 24th 2008 12:03PM]

I love that photoshopped disclaimer in the picture. pure brilliance

[ChrisM @ Jul 24th 2008 12:03PM]

I picked mine up yesterday at my local Apple store. Only had to wait in line for a couple hours.

[Mitch @ Jul 24th 2008 12:09PM]

I waited on line on day 1 at an AT&T store for around 5 hours, got one, waited another 3 hours to activate. No biggie, I wanted to have one on day one, I knew what I was getting myself into. day 3 I went to an apple store to upgrade my wife's phone...got there around 8 for the 10AM opening...by 8:30 they were letting people in, and by 9 I was on the way home with the 2nd phone. I find it really, REALLY hard to believe there's still shortages on the thing! Is this across apple stores as well, or only for the poor bastards who have to go to AT&T?

[Jon @ Jul 24th 2008 1:30PM]

No biggie? Wow man, I wish I had your patience!!

I got really lucky by calling the Apple store on my way home the Thursday after launch. Even though the Apple website said my store would not have stock, they did.
I stopped by, waited in line for only about 10 minutes and walked out after 10 more minutes activating.
16gb Black model too.

To anyone still looking, don't bother with the Apple website, just call your store!

[cromas @ Jul 24th 2008 4:25PM]

The Apple website displays stock at the end of the previous day -- so if my local Apple store has some iPhones that they haven't sold today, the website will show stock tonight. If they sell out today, despite the fact that they had phones today and will probably receive a new shipment tomorrow morning, the website will show out of stock for the whole period.

[Ali @ Jul 24th 2008 7:14PM]

@Jon
I don't know about your Apple store, but when I call mine, there are always 8+ calls ahead of me and I have to wait for a good 20 minutes to even get a person!
Albeit, they play good music....They Might Be Giants and the Flaming Lips

[blinkcowz182 @ Jul 24th 2008 12:10PM]

My buddy had dead pixels on his iPhone that he bought on launch day. He called AppleCare yesterday who called up the nearest Apple store and told him to come in later that night. He then called the local Apple Store directly and asked if they had any phones in stock (hoping to save a wasted trip if they didn't have phones like the website said) and they said no but that they'd "be able to work something out for him." So obviously they aren't selling all of their stock and keeping some in the back for exchanges, etc.

[totoro @ Jul 24th 2008 12:14PM]

Apple is pretty good about holding back stock for returns, at least for early launch products. Way back when the Mac Mini was first launched, my DVD drive was defective-the store was sold out of them, but the Genius pulled open a drawer behind the counter, with about a dozen Minis sitting there. He just handed it over.

[totoro @ Jul 24th 2008 12:21PM]

In other words, they definitely do have a "secret cache" :p

[Snitch @ Jul 24th 2008 12:28PM]

Dude when your phone gets swap at a apple store they don't just pick up another box and take out a new phone for you and throw away all the accesories, replacement phones come in a title white box with nothing but a phone in it, in other words replacement's are not regular stock

[Big Wizz @ Jul 24th 2008 12:16PM]

It makes no sense to hold back inventory when your product is at a fixed price point.

When is the next UFO visit?

[jhilla @ Jul 24th 2008 12:18PM]

it all depends where you go, I mean in my small home town of 80,000 there wasn't iPhones anywhere to be found but in the nation's capital Ottawa, I got one in 15 minutes, Dealers were out but Rogers Store had a bunch of both models.

[Semloh @ Jul 24th 2008 12:19PM]

I ordered 2 on Tuesday (16GB, White) as I was told these have the fastest turnaround in my area). The 2nd one I ordered made it in Wed, The 1st is scheduled to arrive today. I'm placing a case on it anyway, so color didn't matter as much *shrug*

[Bryan @ Jul 24th 2008 12:57PM]

I ordered my iphone at a ATT store this saturday, was told it would take about 10 days... on monday i went to the apple store and they had ~ 200 of all varities with no line... as of tuesday, they still had some of the white ones in stock...

I bought mine there and cancelled my ATT order..

ATT also told me they were getting them faster then apple...

[Shane @ Jul 24th 2008 1:32PM]

Never mind, ignore my earlier comment. EV-DO is a subset of 3g, and therefore if EV-DO Rev. A (or B for that matter) is faster than AT&T's 3g network, then they are guilty of false advertising.

[Snitch @ Jul 24th 2008 12:42PM]

Apple and AT&T as far as i know are putting peoples names on a list and calling them one by one, is not that they don't have them in stock is that am pretty sure they can't shut the store down just to sell iphones everyday is common sense people!!!! not everyone want's a iphone!!!! AT&T sells other devices and Apple sales other stuff too.

[firesign @ Jul 24th 2008 12:55PM]

then, clearly, you don't know a lot. they aren't just "putting people's names on a list". they don't have any.