Best Buy iPhone 4 Inventory Revealed

The launch of the Apple iPhone 4 is drawing near and stores like Best Buy, Radio Shack and Wal-Mart are getting ready and stocking up. If this launch is going to be anything like the past, and I’m thinking it’s probably going to be a lot worse, stock levels are going to be drained quickly and the number of iPhone 4 handsets available just won’t be able to meet demand. After seeing what Best Buy has in store for inventory, things aren’t looking so bright.

According to the chart above, stores are going to be carrying anywhere between 20 and 70 handsets. Such limited stock would undoubtedly be depleted in just a few short hours, if not less. I’m not entirely sure how well Radio Shack or Wal-Mart are doing with their stock levels for launch, but Best Buy is pretty huge so this might be an indicator for the number of available iPhone 4 handsets at other retailers.

Whether you pre-ordered or not, you definitely want to get in line early on June 24 for launch. When stores run out of stock that day, there’s no telling how quickly it will get replenished or whether your luck will improve over the subsequent days. But not to be all doom and gloom, most reports around the web say that Apple will be cranking out smartphones in the millions each month. So perhaps things won’t be so bad after all, but better safe than sorry. If you want the iPhone on launch day and you didn’t order one to be shipped to your house, get in line early!

[Via: iClarified]

About The Author

Marc Flores

Marc has been a mobile fanatic for the better part of a decade and has had more devices pass through his hands than he would care to count. Originally from Los Angeles and briefly in San Francisco, Marc now lives in Brooklyn where, unlike Will Park, he longs for simpler times and simpler technology. All the while, he writes about gadgets and wireless technology as he tinkers, hacks and ultimately breaks most of his gadgets in the process. Marc has written about the mobile industry for Boy Genius Report, MobileCrunch, Laptop Magazine and has had his work appear in the Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, CrunchGear and more.

amanda

It only says this is for he 16gb models. So there are going to be more than this when 32gb models are added.
Kris

good catch Amanda. So really their will probably be double this. so between 60-140 at each store. So if you line up early, youll get one. I pre ordered mine from Best Buy, which will open up early for pre orders at 8:00. So im good.
kenji

Do we still need to arrive early and wait in line even if we pre-ordered the iphone 4. If so, it makes the concept of pre-ordering pointless!! I went out to pre-order my iphone at best-buy in order to avoid the stress of knowing weather or not I will get it while waiting in line for hours!
Jkydd

No need to get in line if you preordered. They will cal the day before to set an appointment up.
RandomRSemployee

Most Radio Shacks will not have any on launch day. The store I work at processed the most customer request PINs in our district and will not be getting any on the 24th, nor will a single store in the district. So RS will not be the best place to go it you are hoping to get the phone anytime soon.
RNB95

I think Radio Shack has the best deal! Trade in your old iPhone and get a new Iphone for almost free. That's the best deal I have ever seen!
tim

My Best Buy store just called me to let me know I won't be getting one on launch day. The guy said they only received 2 phones for launch and didn't know when the next shipment will arrive or how many phones will be in the next shipment. I am number 6 on the list.

Now I can't decide if i should just order one from apple or if best buy might get 4 more phones between now and july 14th.. Toss up.
Roy C.

The radio shack near me in houston texas, said they will have 6 phones available for the 24th and they expect "a few more" on the day after. Its a fairly small store, and kind of hidden away – seemingly low volume. Houston is a huge market so who knows.
Steve

I just went to my best buy and the guy there said I wont be getting mine tomorrow and Im number 14 on the list for the black 16gb so the bb stock count above cant be right
quackMang

lame… I called my best buy, they told me they had "4 32gb blacks" coming on release day, and a few more on friday and "maybe another shipment on saturday but I can't make any promises".. I'm #29 on the list.. Suburb of Chicago
Austin

I was told I would get my 16 GB BLK at my 9:30 appointment, then later was called and told my BB was only getting 2 32 GB BLK to which I said so I wanted a 16GB, told ok you are in good shape see you at 9:30 tomorrow. Well at 9:15 tonight Wednesday the BB manager calledand said they were only getting 15 16GB phones and they would be first come first serve to pre order customers not the order which people pre order.
Eas
Eda

My Best Buy store gave me an appointment to pick up one of the two I ordered for my account. Had my husband paid separately we could get them both at the same time but since they put them both on my receipt I can only pick up one now and the other whenever they get more in. Made pre ordering totally useless for us. Now we have to decide which of us gets the one tomorrow and which one waits.