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aforty

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 27, 2007
1,478
772
Brooklyn, NY
Ok so in the light of reports saying that Best Buy may get a very limited supply of white iPhones on launch day, got me thinking... If that is true, I think Apple stores will have a very limited supply of white iPhones on launch day. I'll tell you why.

  1. If Best Buy will indeed have a few units, I think Apple will as well. A third party reseller can't possibly have something that Apple doesn't. Apple would never allow it, amirite?
  2. [REMOVED INCORRECT QUOTE] "White iPhone currently unavailable for pre-order or in-store pickup." Now that can be interpreted in a few different ways. The white iPhone is currently unavailable for pre-order (an order that ships to the customers house) and will be unavailable to pre-order for "in-store pickup". The NEW wording, in my opinion, leaves some wiggle room to actually have a few surprise units in store for immediate sale. I.e. "the white iPhone is not available for pre-order of ANY kind" doesn't mean they won't have a few.

Why would they do this? As the rumors suggest, Apple ran into a manufacturing issue and simply doesn't have enough units to do a complete/proper launch. They have a few hundred thousand units somewhere (I'm sure they got that far) but not enough to satisfy the demand. Instead of saying the white iPhone will be available in-store on launch day they might rather want to keep quiet so that people don't show up and wait in line HOPING to get the white iPhone. That would turn into many disappointed customers. Instead if they make it a surprise and allow loyal customers who waited in line to be among the first to purchase one of the limited quantity white iPhones, it would make turn into a feel-good story.

If the Best Buy stock rumors are true then I think Best Buy may have forced Apple's hand here a little bit. I think they wanted to hold back white iPhones but because Best Buy (and Radioshack?) took pre-orders for them they now feel obligated to supply them. A pissed off customer at Best Buy is still a pissed off customer purchasing an Apple product and I think Apple knows better than to let that happen.

Yes this is a lot of speculation and straw grasping but I hold out hope. I pre-ordered (for pickup) a black and I will go wait on line at the SoHo Apple store bright an early at 3-4AM in hopes that exactly this will happen.

We'll see, right?


[UPDATE]
More hope! If Walmart is getting some then so will Apple! (is anyone going to argue that with me?)

Take a look at supposed stock Walmarts are receiving:
ip4i.jpg

(stolen from here)
 

Gagoots

macrumors regular
Oct 8, 2006
230
0
I happen to agree that Apple & ATT, being partners in this whole thing, would have to give the third parties white phones first since they are third parties and perhaps contractually obligated to some point to. ANd yes, we will see.
 

Nebrie

macrumors 6502a
Jan 5, 2002
612
147
Best Buy *ordered* units which is what people who pre-ordered white iPhone there have been told since day one. That does not mean they will get them on launch day.
 

bostonte

macrumors regular
Jun 30, 2007
115
0
What's the logic in holding them back from pre-orders because the supply is more limited?

Take pre-orders till you have to start rolling dates like they did with the black -- and then they can have a "ZOMG! The white iPhone sold out in X hours" press release.

I don't see any benefit to holding them as a "surprise".
 

Tara Luvs Apple

macrumors 6502a
Mar 16, 2008
634
59
This is a very long post for something that is just speculation. Best Buy received all four SKU's because that is what they will be selling eventually. Apple and AT&T have them as well, but that does not mean that they are selling them (i.e. no white iPhone on the 15th).

There was no communication between Apple and Best Buy (or they just wanted the sale), because they "sold" the white ones. This does not mean that they are getting them in. They do not and will not know until they receive their shipment. Plus, I would think that Apple would get all of the white ones on launch day.

EDIT: In addition, I do not remember Apple's website saying at all that the phone will be getting out later this summer. AT&T said that the night before the 15th, but Apple never backed this up.
 

xqb4dpx

macrumors member
Jun 18, 2010
82
0
The Apple website never said that the white iPhone 4 will be available "later this summer." You are getting that confused with an internal AT&T leaked memo.
 

aforty

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 27, 2007
1,478
772
Brooklyn, NY
The Apple website never said that the white iPhone 4 will be available "later this summer." You are getting that confused with an internal AT&T leaked memo.

Yes it did. People can corroborate that. They changed the wording a few hours after pre-orders started but that wording was definitely there.

Looks guys, of course it's just speculation and it all relies on the fact that best Buy will indeed receive very few white iPhones to fullfil the pre-orders they took for it. If Best Buy doesn't get them then I don't think Apple will either but if they do I think Apple have some as well.

It's all speculation and a lot of hoping but I think there's reason to believe this will come true.
 

Tara Luvs Apple

macrumors 6502a
Mar 16, 2008
634
59
Yes it did. People can corroborate that. They changed the wording a few hours after pre-orders started but that wording was definitely there.

Looks guys, of course it's just speculation and it all relies on the fact that best Buy will indeed receive very few white iPhones to fullfil the pre-orders they took for it. If Best Buy doesn't get them then I don't think Apple will either but if they do I think Apple have some as well.

It's all speculation and a lot of hoping but I think there's reason to believe this will come true.

I was up and trying when the pre-orders went live, and like I said earlier, I never saw that. That is why everyone is/was mad because Apple never said anything about the white iPhone.

It is speculation, but that in no way proves that Best Buy will be getting the white iPhone. Just because they took the orders mean nothing. They were not told and allowed to sell something that do not have. Why would Apple not sell any for pre-order, but Best Buy can? This does not mean that Best Buy will not get any, but it does not prove anything.
 

aforty

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 27, 2007
1,478
772
Brooklyn, NY
Hmmm maybe I am going crazy then... :confused::eek:

Regardless the wording leaves me some hope and my point about Best Buy is not the fact that they took the pre-orders but the rumors this morning pointing to the BB inventory system saying that stores were getting very limited quantities (probably just enough to fill some orders).
 

xqb4dpx

macrumors member
Jun 18, 2010
82
0
Yes it did. People can corroborate that. They changed the wording a few hours after pre-orders started but that wording was definitely there.

I won't believe it until I see a screenshot, etc. but I am a believer that the white iPhone 4 will be available for purchase at an Apple Store by June 24. BTW, Brooklyn represent.
 

aforty

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 27, 2007
1,478
772
Brooklyn, NY
I won't believe it until I see a screenshot, etc. but I am a believer that the white iPhone 4 will be available for purchase at an Apple Store by June 24. BTW, Brooklyn represent.

Yea I think my mind is going places without me but I could have *sworn* I saw the text saying something else and then seeing them change it... I could have sworn... and yes, Brooklyn stand up ;)
 

Vertigo50

macrumors 65816
Apr 11, 2007
1,200
132
My prediction: we will see about 20 more of these white iPhone threads before Thursday.

I really do hope you guys get white iPhones, but man, the speculation is just ridiculous.

If anyone has white iPhones on launch day, it will be Apple stores. I repeat, if anyone has white iPhones, it will be Apple stores.

Read this again, and if it doesn't make logical sense to you, you should probably just go get a blackberry.
 

125037

Cancelled
Sep 10, 2007
2,121
0
I won't believe it until I see a screenshot, etc. but I am a believer that the white iPhone 4 will be available for purchase at an Apple Store by June 24. BTW, Brooklyn represent.

No it didn't... I had a thread ready to submit before the site launched and refreshed until it did and was the second poster of it... it NEVER said that... that was something that was "thrown around" earlier that day when the ATT availability page leaked... it never said that.
 

Iphone4Mac

macrumors member
Jun 14, 2010
93
0
I'm so curious as to what could have been the reason for apple not having the White iPhone on launch?
I don't want the white iPhone but on June 7 steve jobs said they would be available June 15 for pre-order. Something drastic happen in those few days that severly limited the production ...? But I can't wait to find out what it was, ... Manufacturing defect on all white iPhones? Maybe it was the dye they used, ....
 

aforty

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 27, 2007
1,478
772
Brooklyn, NY
I'm so curious as to what could have been the reason for apple not having the White iPhone on launch?
I don't want the white iPhone but on June 7 steve jobs said they would be available June 15 for pre-order. Something drastic happen in those few days that severly limited the production ...? But I can't wait to find out what it was, ... Manufacturing defect on all white iPhones? Maybe it was the dye they used, ....

I'm with you. Would love to know exactly what caused the manufacturing issue vs. not having any issue with the black.
 

125037

Cancelled
Sep 10, 2007
2,121
0
As far as availability... I can only dream... I am driving to the Mississippi store from Pensacola, FL JUST in hopes of a white iPhone... i've called about 15 Apple stores and, while I know they "know nothing" about 95% said they WILL NOT have them on launch and seemed pretty determined... 1 said he has heard July 24, and 2 others said they can't be sure until launch... nothing we didn't know... but most of them just seemed so sure that they are not going to have them.
 

Blorzoga

macrumors 68030
May 21, 2010
2,560
66
You people are DELUSIONAL. There will be no white iPhones on Thursday. Not at best buy, not at radio shack, not at AT&T, not at walmart, not in some special stash at the apple store. Accept it. Don't get your hopes up. I spoke to Steve Jobs last night and he confirmed it. Deal with it people.
 

Blorzoga

macrumors 68030
May 21, 2010
2,560
66
I'm so curious as to what could have been the reason for apple not having the White iPhone on launch?
I don't want the white iPhone but on June 7 steve jobs said they would be available June 15 for pre-order. Something drastic happen in those few days that severly limited the production ...? But I can't wait to find out what it was, ... Manufacturing defect on all white iPhones? Maybe it was the dye they used, ....

Why do you care so much?
 

SinisterJoe

macrumors newbie
Aug 10, 2009
18
0
I'm so curious as to what could have been the reason for apple not having the White iPhone on launch?
I don't want the white iPhone but on June 7 steve jobs said they would be available June 15 for pre-order. Something drastic happen in those few days that severly limited the production ...? But I can't wait to find out what it was, ... Manufacturing defect on all white iPhones? Maybe it was the dye they used, ....

I'm not sure we'll ever know for sure. To me it's a good thing they decided not to ship it if they found problems. Nothing is worse than passing along problems to your customers. I'm disappointed in waiting but I certainly wouldn't want an Apple ][ yellow iPhone in 6 months or big ugly gaps in the seams, loose buttons, etc. In recent years it seems as though Apple has been more prone to ship and fix problems later so maybe this issue is a sign they're getting back to a much higher level of quality control.
 

Sleazy E

macrumors 65816
Nov 24, 2009
1,022
1
Disneyland
you guys are getting out of hand with your white iphone theories. they are not available until late summer. deal with it! :D
 

Deadman64

macrumors 6502a
Jun 2, 2008
665
185
You people are DELUSIONAL. There will be no white iPhones on Thursday. Not at best buy, not at radio shack, not at AT&T, not at walmart, not in some special stash at the apple store. Accept it. Don't get your hopes up. I spoke to Steve Jobs last night and he confirmed it. Deal with it people.

Hope is a very basic human trait. It pretty much shaped the world as it is today.

So yeah I have hopes for Thursday. I'm sure your first choice was black, in which case you cannot relate and should not have entered the thread.

:)
 

aforty

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 27, 2007
1,478
772
Brooklyn, NY
You people are DELUSIONAL. There will be no white iPhones on Thursday. Not at best buy, not at radio shack, not at AT&T, not at walmart, not in some special stash at the apple store. Accept it. Don't get your hopes up. I spoke to Steve Jobs last night and he confirmed it. Deal with it people.

you guys are getting out of hand with your white iphone theories. they are not available until late summer. deal with it! :D

http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/
 

msw123307

macrumors 6502
Mar 25, 2007
433
0
Based on some of the comments I've read from higher ups at the BB forums, and the language Apple used "not available for preorder or in-store pickup," I think it's a possibility.

Apple knows about the BB situation. Many people who preordered the phone at BB weren't aware of the potential white problem. If white was 100% off the table, I believe that Apple would have already taken steps to alert it's customers. And no, one or two people getting calls doesn't count.

There is a FAQ on the BB forums, and they are being pretty open and upfront and not promising anything. But they haven't heard otherwise from Apple, and that gives me reason to hope they may be available in limited quantities, to Apple stores and BB preorders.
 
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