http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/07/11/is-apple-manufacturing-a-first-day-iphone-shortage/
Apple is definitely limiting the number of iPhones being sold today. Many of the moves they are making seem quite shady to me and are most likely planned to take advantage of many of us first movers. Why are they doing this?
It was no “mistake” that they priced the iPhone at $499 and $599 last year on June 29th, 2007. Me and my buddy were sucked into going and buying the 8 gigs to find out 2 months later they have dropped the price to $399/299. Seems logical at first, a nice apology from Steve jobs suggesting they messed up the price points and they wanted more users to be able to buy the iPhone and so they dropped the price and will now award a 100 dollar rebate. — But then what happens? I take my rebate and can’t get cash? — A real man would give me my $200 dollars back in cash that we all work so hard to earn. But thats fine we all overlooked that. (I actually ended up buying a $300 dollar ipod, thus spending more money with Apple.) Why is he abusing the early adopters?
Now they drop the new iPhone 3G that we have all been waiting for (not sure why it wasn’t 3G in the first place). I login to my AT&T wireless account this morning to see that for me the new iPhone will cost $400 + new 2 year contract on a more expensive plan, becuase I already have a contract with AT&T for 2 years and therefore cannot get an upgrade, but I can pay 400 + upgrade fee and extend my contract for an additional 2 years. — This makes no sense as many have already pointed out — you can cancel your plan for 175 buy the new iPhone under a new contract for 200 and you’d still save about $55 dollars.
After work around 6PM, I stroll in to the AT&T store where one of my good friends works. As I got in he was selling the last iPhone they had in stock for the day. I started talking to him to get more info on whats going on with this Apple stuff and whats the best way he can help me out. He began to say Apple limited his store to 40 iPhones for the day and later some guy came and dropped off 10 more around 4pm (that way customers who originally went to the AT&T stores will end up going to an Apple store that has stock instead).
I am not sure how reliable my friends information is but it definitely lines up with Techcrunch’s information. If you already have an original iPhone and cannot upgrade for the 200 bucks — PLEASE DON’T GO OUT AND BUY ONE FOR $400. (They’re going to drop the price in 2 months 
)
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Dang that sucks. Apple has such a strong brand that stories like these barely make headlines. Personally, the AT&T contract for the is the reason I wont be picking up the Iphone. This industry needs more standards because customers are getting ripped off. Long contract terms and phones not being available on every network are two of my biggest complaints. Google hopes Android will help pave the way for such standards but I’ll believe it when I see it. Why? Verizon, AT&T and the other large telecoms conduct business the old school way….contracts and exclusive deals.
lol, i didn’t understand why you had a picture of an apple for the longest time.