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iPhone availability trick!

Now that the cat's out of the bag, place your bets on how long until Apple pulls the stock checker altogether over this. :)
 
alexmarchuk said:
http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/availability.html

As most of you know, you can check Apple's site for the stock at all stores after 9PM. It seems like it reads the time on your computer (probably due to the different time-zones)

To view stock at any time, set the clock on your computer to after 9PM and BOOM!
Click to expand...

That's great and all, but you do know that Apple.com doesn't dictate how many phones the store actually has... It's seems to be more of a reference guide...
 
I've been checking that way on the 1st gen. I thought that I wasn't the only one to figure that out.

Just one more thing, you're always checking last nights stock. I think it's only updated after the stores close.
 
Your timing is great, Iwas just at that page 5 minutes ago and it never occurred to me to try that.
 
Definitely worked for me, great tip!

And it did update since about midnight last night.

Short Hills NJ is now all Red, and I confirmed they are out over the phone. They did have stock first thing this morning.

Will check in the early morning before heading out on the New Jersey search !!
 
Sphere777 said:
Or they could just remove the frivolous 9pm restriction.
Click to expand...

They could, but if they wanted to do that they would've done it already.

Then again, we could all be looking at a page that hasn't been updated since last night. There's no way of knowing for sure.
 
Explain to me what good this is? If the stock doesn't get updated until 9p anyway, how useful are the previous night's numbers at 2p?

Now, if it's real-time stock, then that's another story. But I would be suspect.
 
I wish I would of known that yesterday before I DF through At&t.

It finally shows that Kansas City finally has stock. They must not of updated their numbers at night.
 
FearlessFreep said:
Explain to me what good this is? If the stock doesn't get updated until 9p anyway, how useful are the previous night's numbers at 2p?

Now, if it's real-time stock, then that's another story. But I would be suspect.
Click to expand...

I checked in the morning at about 10-11 and I couldn't access those stats on Apple's site, so maybe this can be used for early morning.
 
NiroshanMan said:
you are a genius!
Click to expand...

If you check the NY/NJ thread, I think you'll find that distinction belongs to me. ;)

As for its accuracy, I checked my stores a little after 10 am, and then again after 3 and the statuses DID change. But I still don't know how accurate it will be if their major update is (allegedly) around 9pm.
 
LadyC said:
If you check the NY/NJ thread, I think you'll find that distinction belongs to me. ;)

As for its accuracy, I checked my stores a little after 10 am, and then again after 3 and the statuses DID change. But I still don't know how accurate it will be if their major update is (allegedly) around 9pm.
Click to expand...

Thank you then! But i think mines relativley accurate i called my local store and they said they got 16gb ones in and i checked after and it was correct, hopefully it will be there when i go there at 6pm
 
LadyC said:
If you check the NY/NJ thread, I think you'll find that distinction belongs to me. ;)

As for its accuracy, I checked my stores a little after 10 am, and then again after 3 and the statuses DID change. But I still don't know how accurate it will be if their major update is (allegedly) around 9pm.
Click to expand...

Yup, updated to credit you ;)
 
Sphere777 said:
The page does update throughout the day, but how accurate it is in anyone's guess.
Click to expand...

An employee told me that it only accounts for planned shipments that are supposed to arrive before the store opens. Shipments made some time later than the normal morning delivery are not accounted for by the tool.

This happened yesterday and today at the Sugarland store where if you checked on the previous night (or use the clock trick), the tool would indicate no phones available. Yet, many people got new i-phones yesterday, I got mine today (WOOHOOOO!!!!!).

I got lucky....today I went got to the apple store at 6:30. Saw a big sign that said "No I-phones available today". I still waited till they opened at nine only to hear the apple employees state that they did not know when the next shiment was going to be. So I took off to AT&T, they are now only doing pre-order and are not expecting any stock for walk-ins. So I head back to the mall (where the apple store is) to get a haircut ..... all discouraged, then BAM, I see a line forming. I was the 7th in line. They only had the white 16GB and the 8GB. I wanted the black 16, but settled on the white since I was going to put a sleeve on it anyway.

It's a shame apple is not more upfront with their merchandise deliveries :confused: Anyway, I'm content for now.
 
If if was realtime, I believe Apple would let you check throughout the day.

I suggest that you check the store/stores in your area, then call to check on the availability. Especially since they won't set one aside for you and sell on a first come/first serve basis.

The other thing that you are forgetting is:
If it isn't a real time update, you aren't allowing for them receiving a shipment during the day. So, if you want one that bad, I'd say check in the morning, then check with the store itself in the late afternoon in case they receive some during the day.
 
LadyC said:
If you check the NY/NJ thread, I think you'll find that distinction belongs to me. ;)
Click to expand...
*cough* ;) (And I'm sure I wasn't the first...)

Anyway, yes it does work, but I have no idea whether each store individually updates in real-time or periodically. And it of course says nothing about the number of units available. If they only have one unit, it'll be green, but it'll be gone before you can get there. :)
 
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