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Where To Buy an iPhone (Update)
"Don't go to an Apple store," Steve Jobs famously advised Arianna Huffington last month. "It will be a madhouse there. People will be lined up around the block, sleeping on the sidewalk to get one. Go to an AT&T/Cingular store. Most people don't know that they will be selling them too." (link)
Good advice? That depends.
There are 164 Apple Stores in the U.S. and 1,800 AT&T Wireless outlets, so you probably have a better chance of finding an AT&T store with a short line.
On the other hand, Apple probably controls the distribution of the devices, so there may be a larger supply in stock at its stores when they go on sale Friday at 6 p.m.
And you can buy more iPhones at Apple. AT&T (T) announced yesterday that it will limit sales to one per customer. Apple (AAPL) in a press release this morning announced that customers at its stores will be allowed up to two -- one for yourself and another to, say, sell for a profit on eBay.
The lines should move quickly at either company's outlets; the authorization procedure that usually seems to take forever can be done at home, through your iTunes account. But having dealt with staffers at both outlets, I'd put my money on Apple's staff to get you in and out more smoothly.
Alternatively, you can buy your iPhone online. The link on Apple's online store, which appeared a few days but was grayed out, has now gone live. It's not clear whether buyers on the West Coast have to wait until 6 p.m. Pacific time, or can place their orders when it's 6 p.m. in New York. We'll find out soon enough.
Wherever you buy your phone, Apple is the place to go to find out how to use it. According to today's press release:
Beginning Saturday morning, iPhone customers can learn how to get the most out of the iPhone with free, in-depth workshops offered throughout the day at all Apple retail stores. Every Apple retail store will offer support for iPhone at the Genius Bar and personal training through Apple's new One to One program. (link)
Each company offers a handy store finder. To find the Apple store nearest you, go here. To find an AT&T store that carries iPhones, go here. Here again, however, Apple retail does AT&T one better. It has set up an iPhone availability webpage that tells you, store by store, if their supply has run out.
UPDATE: AppleInsider reports that Apple will be hosting a nationwide sleepover tonight as a skeleton staff of Apple employees man the Apple's stores overnight, presumably for security reasons. And Cult of Mac reports that Steve Jobs will host a rare town meeting for employees this morning at 11:00 a.m PT.
