14 DAY TRIAL // With the reviews and videos out of Apple recently, the FUD has been put down and the only concern of potential buyers is that stocks may not last. Even the most pessimistic of analysts sees Apple as seeing a great many of the little devices, so if things go moderately well, the stores will be swamped. Restrictions on the number of products sold per person will be in effect to make sure everyone has a chance to get one.
While Apple and AT&T have done their best to make the launch go smoother, including the remote activation via iTunes, which will make a huge difference in the amount of time spent in the store, none of this will do much when it comes to inventory. There are only so many phones to go around in the first shipment and the very high profile Apple and AT&T stores will likely see massive crowds. Anticipating this, both Apple and AT&T have been trying hard to let their customers know about all of the stores nearby, not just the most popular ones. Customers have also been preparing to take advantage of the obscurity of stores and many have been scouting out the most obscure of stores that will be selling the device, in the hopes that they can avoid the lines and increase their changes of actually getting their hands on the phone.
With the launch so soon, AT&T is making one final push to try and spread the flow of customers evenly by inviting e-mail subscribers to visit a specialized part of their site where they can find stores in their location: "With iPhone arriving June 29th at 6 p.m. in AT&T retail stores, the wait is almost over. Use our online store locator to find the closest AT&T store that sells Apple iPhone (limit one per person). We'll show you maps, directions, and everything you need to get your hands on an iPhone as quickly as possible."
The big news here is that nobody will be able to purchase more than one iPhone. While this might be a major annoyance for those planning to buy an iPhone for themselves and one for their spouse, it does keep this fair and hoarding and reselling.