My understanding is priority queueing is given to those who placed a deposit. This means that they will be able to try and purchase the phone at an earlier time than everyone else.

Email is the main port of call to see what stores are opening and when. I assume most activity with the leadup to the release will be in the next 2 days.

Most deposits that were placed have been or are being refunded very shortly. The idea behind it was for people to place deposits when registering their interest/details pending the release. The deposit placed will not come off the purchase price of the phone. The deposits were to be refunded after the release but I guess they decided to do it earlier.

Just came from the yes Optus store in Cairns. Was told normal business hours apply (9am) and that my deposit didn't guarantee a phone only that I was in a queue.

My local Optus store told me that people that paid deposits get priority. Even if I'm first in the queue, the people behind me who paid a deposit will get one before me. Seems kinda pointless queuing up at Optus if you don't have a deposit paid. I hope Vodafone are at least the same price or cheaper for the pre-paid than Optus. If so I think I'll queue outside Vodafone instead.

Source? Was there ever an official statement?

The OW near me said they were expecting an email tomorrow afternoon to clarify the order of battle.

Sorry, you did too - I just meant to draw attention to the fact that NY in particular is a pretty high taxing state across the board (trust me, I've felt it's wrath!).

It was on the page where you registered the model you wanted and the store you wanted to queue at, but I can't get to it anymore since I've already done it.

There should be a link to it in the email with the pricing.

I don't see why it's so hard to imagine stock being limited. I think people are just in a state of denial, it's frustrating to watch.

Yes, we are.

The Optus store i went to today said they will have heaps of stock.

Heaps is very subjective. they might be getting 30 iPhones and to them that might be heaps if normally they have 5 to 10 units for a phone launch.

And yet if any launch store has 30 units I can almost guarantee they will be sold out in the first three days (if not the first 3 hours.

No offense taken :-)

You are quite right that the liberal (in the US use of the term) states such as NY and California tend to be high taxing. Then again, those are also the states that tend to have higher incomes so the marginal effect is far less.

FWIW I think this isn't as bad as it could have been, given Apple's tendency to charge 35%-40% premiums in Australia for its products a 10%-20% margin is almost generous. The question is one of arbitrage and if you can find a better deal of which you can take advantage.

Which store was that?

(Considers 200 or so Mactalkers rocking up to test that definition)

This is the news from me....

- I called various Optus stores in Sydney today and also went in physically. Most said that the stores will open early at 7am.

- Sydney Opttus owned store will open at midnight.

- Deposit does not guarantee a phone, but those people will get priority queuing up.

I then put up the question that I am not one of those deposit people and will be in font, will you sell the phone to me ?
Sales girls reply: Yes, we will. We wont be waiting for the deposit people to come all day. If we have stock we wont hold it back for anyone special, we will sell it.

- One store said that they should have stock also for the walk ins. others said, it will be tight, chances are not.

Then went to the apple store here in Sydney:
Will you sell iPhone on the 11th ?
Reply: May be, not sure yet, but come next week and you might see some changes in the store.

None of the Apple employes said out right NO. All said don't know, we hope so. If they were not going to sell, my guess is that thy would have just said NO we wont be. I'm taking their MAY BE as a YES they will sell the iPhone on the 11th.

What say you ???

This is encouraging for Optus people, and maybe ties in with those guys I saw measuring things near the front of the Apple store last week.

im just happy we wont have to wait for those who made deposits....
so really, did the deposits actually do anything? expecially if the stores arent waiting for you to get in there and get one.