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Will I be able to buy an unlocked one though?

Maybe if they sell you a VZW model w/o an account. They did that for the 7. No idea about the X. There is no "official" unlocked X right now though. For the 7 that didn't happen for a month or so after launch. It was available launch day for the 8, probably because Apple knew the carrier models would not be in huge demand.
 
Sorry, I don't do the wait in line for the supposed availability of a phone on launch day anymore. I am too old for that. Last one I did was the iPhone 5s. These days I will pre-order it and whenever it arrives is fine by me.
 
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1 per store?
I don't think it will be that bad, but I expect just a handful for each store.
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If there are really a good number available for 'walk up' buyers then it seems to somewhat contradict the previous article about limits of supply.
Unless this is Apple saying to the naysayers, 'Look, things are not that bad'. Sadly, it won't stop the like of Kuo from spreading FUD.
Where did you see that there's going to be a "good number" available?
 
Doesn't everyone get basic marketing... it's called the rule of scarcity. The more people think something is harder to get the more people want it.

Apple are putting out these stories as they know demand is low based on the price of the device, so by circulating stories saying supply is limited, limited stock in store etc etc, people will try harder to get one creating a PR buzz.

Whilst supply may actually be tight, this certainly being used to make the product demand look higher.

people like you say something like this every year and you're always proven wrong. The supply chain has be reporting that supply will be low - we have had many documented accounts of this from various manufacturers. There is no doubt that supply's will be low - Apple doesn't have to make this up. From surveys we already know that demand is extremely high for this phone - Apple doesn't need to make demand - it's already there. The only reason they're doing this is because supplies will be low, initial sales will also be low and Apple doesn't want Wall ST. freaking out - they want them to visibly see the lines which indicate high demand. They are doing this to appease Wall St.
 
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All the speculation about supply constraints are from these "analysts" who have all been proven wrong so many many times before in the past.

It's entirely possible that Apple sorted any niggles out months ago and has tons and tons of stock for this.

It's their biggest hyped phone product of all time, I can't imagine that they've not worked extremely hard to ensure supplies are available and they make money on selling the things.
 
If there are really a good number available for 'walk up' buyers then it seems to somewhat contradict the previous article about limits of supply.
Unless this is Apple saying to the naysayers, 'Look, things are not that bad'. Sadly, it won't stop the like of Kuo from spreading FUD.

Definitely some kind of disconnect here. If Kuo and co. are right why would Apple do this. But then why would Kuo and other's want to "cry wolf" on such a prominent launch? I mean they've been wrong before but this time people will remember because they calls of thin launch supply is so extreme. Either Apple or Kuo and Co will end up embarrassed. That is a long list of launch countries. One would think if supply was so constrained the # of launch countries would be too.Don't think that is the case, but $1100 + tax is no inexpensive even in monthly payments. We'll see Friday how it shakes out.
 
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That is what I was thinking. You have 55 launch countries and at least 8 different phone configurations:

- 64GB Silver CDMA
- 64GB Black CDMA
- 256GB Silver CDMA
- 256B Black CDMA
- 64GB Silver GSM
- 64GB Black GSM
- 256GB Silver GSM
- 256B Black GSM

All those models spread across 2-3 million units on launch day. There aren't enough on launch day to satisfy the first 1/2 hour of pre-ordering.

1/2 hour?!?!? make that 1/2 a minute...
 
Awhile ago there was a report of an initial shipment of 46,000 iPhone Xs to the Netherlands and UAE. They’re going to have more than “a handful” at stores there.

Edit: There are only 6 Apple stores between them. So 1,000 per Apple Store and the other 40,000 for carriers. That’s assuming they get no more shipments and that initial 46,000 is all they get.
 
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Doesn't everyone get basic marketing... it's called the rule of scarcity. The more people think something is harder to get the more people want it.

Apple are putting out these stories as they know demand is low based on the price of the device, so by circulating stories saying supply is limited, limited stock in store etc etc, people will try harder to get one creating a PR buzz.

Whilst supply may actually be tight, this certainly being used to make the product demand look higher.

right on the nose. I hear the same thing every year and have never EVER had an issue walking into whatever service provide I have at the time on launch day and walking out with the exact model I wanted. I take that back, the original iPhone I had to go to a second AT&T because I got back from deployment a day after launch. I simply don't believe people sit in line because they have to in order to get one. Drive 30 minutes in literally any direction and hit your service provider in a smaller yet decent income suburb, heck I don't even do that. I drive 5 minutes to the local mall that isn't very busy due to other malls around us that are much better, walk in the cleaner entrance they open early for old people to walk and such and cruise right in and out of TMO by 815-830. Not to mention that RadioShack, Best Buy, heck probably even places like small kiosks in major malls and sears/jc penny or whatever even has them now. People always rush to the most popular place to stand in the longest line....just silly to me.
 
There are 361 Apple Stores worldwide. Let's say they set aside 500,000 phones for the stores. That's about 1,385 phones per store.

That leaves about 2,000,000 for pre-orders.

It's very possible to have stock at the Apple Stores. Note that this is JUST Apple stores, not all retailers, who will be cut out at the beginning.

We'll see how Apple does it. But I can imagine even setting aside 100,000 phones for the stores, there will still be plenty of stock for lines 200 deep.
 
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Doesn't everyone get basic marketing... it's called the rule of scarcity. The more people think something is harder to get the more people want it.

Apple are putting out these stories as they know demand is low based on the price of the device, so by circulating stories saying supply is limited, limited stock in store etc etc, people will try harder to get one creating a PR buzz.

Whilst supply may actually be tight, this certainly being used to make the product demand look higher.
Wrong.

Demand is high
 
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Sorry, I don't do the wait in line for the supposed availability of a phone on launch day anymore. I am too old for that. Last one I did was the iPhone 5s. These days I will pre-order it and whenever it arrives is fine by me.


I never understood the concept no matter what age. I've waited in line for concert tickets in the 90s because that was the only way to get them and a concert is a once in a lifetime thing. Waiting in line for a phone just so you can get it early? Makes no sense. It's like movie tickets, who cares if you don't get the midnight showing in a Thursday.....they'll be playing the exact same movie for weeks.
 
That is what I was thinking. You have 55 launch countries and at least 8 different phone configurations:

- 64GB Silver CDMA
- 64GB Black CDMA
- 256GB Silver CDMA
- 256B Black CDMA
- 64GB Silver GSM
- 64GB Black GSM
- 256GB Silver GSM
- 256B Black GSM

All those models spread across 2-3 million units on launch day. There aren't enough on launch day to satisfy the first 1/2 hour of pre-ordering.
Why is everyone so sure that KGI was right? That info came from the same guy who made mistakes when predicting the Apple Watch Series 3 (cellular capabilities). So why is every one soooo sure that he told the truth here?
 
this phone isn't actually in short supply I presume
It will be as with every iPhone. And a lot of people will get 1-2 weeks, and then the shipping date will move up suddenly. It happens every year. But it won't be as bad as predicted.
 
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