AT&T suspended preordering last week because it could not meet an unexpectedly high demand — 10 times higher than preorders for the iPhone 3GS, according to a company statement.
As a result, many stores are not sure what supplies will be like on launch day.
AT&T stores will have the phone, but managers aren’t sure how many each store will receive.
In its phone greeting to customers, the AT&T store at The Greene includes instructions about how to be “iReady” to speed up the purchase. The store is opening its doors at 7 a.m. Thursday to decrease wait times.
Other local AT&T stores are opening at 7 a.m. to help keep up with sales. Paul Monahan, from the Beavercreek AT&T store, said officials “are anticipating a busy day” and he has already compiled a long waiting list. He said he expects most of those customers to have their phones by June 30.
Monahan said the store will get its shipment Wednesday night. That’s when he’ll know how many arrive.
Stores not affiliated with AT&T or Apple don’t know what availability will be like on the release date. Best Buy near the Dayton Mall does not know if it will have the iPhone 4 on Thursday. Area Radio Shack stores said they will have the phones, but the quantity is unknown.
Walmart is expected to carry the phone as well, but Angie Smith, manager for the Moraine Walmart Supercenter, said her store is not expecting to have them in stock Thursday.
Apple took more than 600,000 preorders June 15, a record number for a single day, according to a statement from AT&T. The volume was so high the preorder system malfunctioned and Apple was forced to shut it down due to inventory concerns.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-0743 or nwaggenspack@coxohio.com.
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