US stores almost 'sold out' of iPhones

Last Modified: 01 Jul 2007
By: Channel 4 News

America's AT&T reports that it sold almost all of its initial stock of Apple's iPhones within hours of it hitting the shelves.

Apple have not yet commented on the number of iPhones sold at its US outlets but the sell of the all in one phone-music player-internet browser was one of the most anticipated gadget launches of the year.

"Virtually all of our stores sold out of the iPhone last night," AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said, declining to specify how many units had been sold.

AT&T, which runs about 1,800 stores in the United States, was still taking orders for iPhones and giving customers the option of picking the handset up in a store later or having it shipped to them directly, Siegel said.

"It's awesome, it's the best thing I ever saw in my life," said New York private detective Jerry Gregory. "Once people see this phone they are going to want one. Everybody I show this phone wants one, even people who were anti-iPhone."

Asked about problems that some iPhone buyers were having with activating their phones, Siegel said the "vast majority" of customers were able to begin using their phones within minutes.

"There are some whose activation process is being delayed and that's something that can happen in a launch like this and we're resolving those on a case-by-case basis," Siegel said.

"Virtually all of our stores sold out of the iPhone last night."
AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel

Some glitches reported

Most owners of Apple's iPhones were over the moon about their new device, but a few customers were unlucky.

Brad Bargman, Florida, who waited in line 9 hours on Friday to buy his phone, said excitement turned to dismay when the device stubbornly refused to activate, meaning it can't be used.

"It's a real buzz kill," said Bargman, adding that repeated calls to AT&T failed to get the device to work. "Now I'm soured on it a little bit."

David Clayman, the third person in line at Apple's flagship Manhattan store, said he was still unable to activate his iPhone a day later, probably because he couldn't update the Apple software on his computer needed to start the process

The iPhone needs to be activated through a process handled by AT&T Inc., the phone's exclusive carrier.

Apple aims to sell 10 million units in 2008, giving it 1 per cent of the global mobile phone market. The company is banking that the iPhone will become its third pillar product alongside its popular iPod music players and Mac computers.