Oh what a difference a day makes: after more than 600,000 iPhone 4 pre-orders forced AT&T’s customer systems into a meltdown, Apple began telling customers that they wouldn’t receive pre-ordered iPhones until July 2. But that was yesterday: today, Apple is saying customers pre-ordering an iPhone 4 won’t receive their units until July 14—news which no doubt will have some iPhone fanatics choosing to camp out at retail locations to set hands on the device the second they go on sale June 24.
The overwhelming interesting the iPhone 4 comes not only from new customers eager to set their hands on the latest Apple device, but also from existing AT&T customers, since AT&T has extended new iPhone 4 customer pricing to folks whose existing iPhone contracts expire during 2010: thus, plenty of people with original iPhones and iPhone 3G models are eligible for standard iPhone pricing starting at $199 for a 16 GB model, so long as they sign up for two new years of service.
Folks looking to bypass online pre-ordering will have a selection of retails to choose from on iPhone 4 launch day: in addition to Apple and AT&T stores, Best Buy, Walmart, and Radio Shack will carry the iPhone 4 the day it launches.