05.10.08
Apple’s 2g iPhone Shortage prior to 3g iPhone release
AT&T is making a big push to get the "2g" iPhone’s to as many fence sitters as possible before the 3g version ships. The 2g iPhone puts much less load on the AT&T infrastructure, as the dial-up speed surfing limits how functional the web interface really is.
As the 3g version roles out AT&T will see a major increase in their costs per subscriber do to an increase in data usage. This "stock piling" has been so great that you can’t even get an iPhone from the Apple Online store at the moment.
With Production ramping up for the 3g version which should debut in late June, or just in time for Independence day, there just aren’t enough 2g’s to go around. While stores in the Silicon Valley and Bay Area are stocked to the gills, Apple stores in other regions are out, with no date for restock.
Likely Apple will continue to make the crippled "2g" version of the iPhone for quite sometime in parallel to the 3g version, as it will be the preferred phone for Carriers that want to minimize the number of users that saturate their data capabilities. Expect to see a heavier subsidy on the 2g iPhone from AT&T than you do the 3g.
This is a response to:
iPhone Currently Unavailable At US Apple Store Online?
and
iPhone "currently unavailable" at Apple Store
Side note:
Congrats to Gadgetking.com for breaking this story at 2am.