The iPhone 4 seems to be amazing. Getting one is a nightmare. Apple launched its pre-order of the new device. The tagline surrounding the new iPhone reads: “This changes everything. Again.” That may be true about the device itself but the old, familiar headaches of seeing your way clear to owning one are back as always.

With the initial release of the iPhone, now called 2G, and the 2nd iteration, the 3G, your options were basically to an AT&T store the night before and wait until morning in hopes that you weren’t too far back in the line to receive that little black box of happiness. There were not enough to go around and many people went home iPhone-less and despondent. Those who did get one could only have hoped they were near enough to the AT&T store to survive the wait to plug into iTunes and activate it. The 3G fixed the latter, allowing AT&T to activate in the store. I drove 45 minutes from the nearest AT&T store with the first one staring at the emergency call screen hoping it would activate itself. At least they gave 911 access in case I ran off the road staring at the revolutionary piece of technology.

The 3G S brought a new set of worries with its model. Go to a website (apple.com or att.com) and order one, hoping to sneak into a spot in the virtual line and get through the process without the site crashing or, at best, timing out forcing you to start again. I can almost see why the two giant companies didn’t foresee this issue. The 3G S didn’t do anything different than the 3G when you really get down to it. It’s faster, it has a compass and it was just enough to whet the appetite of every aspiring fanboy and early adopter. 

As per their tagline for the iPhone 4, this changes everything; again. It is shaped different (3G and 3G S were identical in that respect) and looks beautiful. It is another home run for the designers at Apple who focus on tech sex appeal. It has dual cameras and an LED flash. It has the best resolution seen on a phone of any kind. It does video calling. It has Apple silicon in it. The list goes on. 

How AT&T and Apple could not see a massive surging coming makes me wonder how each of them got to where they are today. They didn’t, though. Apple’s website has been down most of today and AT&T’s phone support is a step above, “There’s a new iPhone?”

I began my hunt at 5am (central) and made it most of the way through the process before it failed. This went on for hours until about lunchtime when the process fell apart altogether. Throughout the day, with each passing hour, I got a little further without total success. I called a local AT&T store and got no answer. I tried AT&T’s website and was told I couldn’t upgrade via their site (keep in mind, I’m a premier customer with a separate website and phone number than the public facing portal). I called their corporate line and was met by someone on the other end of the phone who knew less about the process than I did.

Finally, I went to the store in person at about 5:30pm, over 12 hours later. After 20 minutes of standing around someone began to take my information. She told me the delivery date was July 5th. When I inquired if it was specific to them she told me it was from Apple. I asked if all AT&T heard that from Apple and she told me that Apple is shipping July 5th and the date changed as of noon today. I have a hard time believing that. Maybe for AT&T store pre-orders that applies (Apple’s website still says June 24th).

I left without completing the purchase. The entire way home I convinced myself that even getting the device was silly and worthless and certainly not enough to put myself through what I had. When I came home, in 27” of iMac glory, Apple.com sat. I clicked once more and it went through! I did have 2 in my cart though so something went through earlier today without letting me know. I get to the checkout screen and find my shipping address is wrong. I never updated it with AT&T when I moved last September and Apple wouldn’t let me. 

With pending regret I emptied my cart and changed my address at ATT.com and headed back to the pre-order function on Apple’s site. It didn’t work. I thought I had a problem. Deep breath; “One more try.” Shortly before turning blue, I let out a sigh of relief as I was back to the checkout screen, with the proper shipping address.

It was now 6:30pm - 13 and a half hours after I began this and an estimated 200 attempts from my desktop, iPhone, iPad and work computer throughout the day. I still have the confirmation on my screen, as I have not yet received the confirmation email that I was told was sent 40 minutes ago. I’m still nervous as to whether I’ll receive it or not.

What have we learned? Buying an iPhone will never be easy. It has become a utility for so many people, that we have to have the newest version. Regardless of whether you’re in the Apple or Microsoft “camp” there is no denying it. Enough people rushed Apple’s site today that the servers went down for over 12 hours with only intermittent reports of successful purchases. 

I learned that I need to brace myself for this each year. Clearly, giving up is not an option. Logging on and buying one is not an option either. Buying an iPhone is the digital equivalent of shopping on Black Friday. We all complain. We all hate it. We all do it… year after year.

Pre-ordering for the new iPhone 4 starts VERY soon. When the exact time is though is anybody’s guess. As in the past, we will expect to see a “we will be back soon” message meaning that the ordering will go live shortly thereafter.

However, what is the best way to order the new phone? There are a couple of ways. The easiest way is to simply go to www.Apple.com. No lines, no hassle and you’re guaranteed delivery on the 24th.

You can go to an Apple store if you want to brave the crowds as well. you may very well be directed to one of their computers to place the order so you might as well stay home at that point.

You can also go to an AT&T store which will, more than likely, prove to be the most crowded option and the rumor is that if you get it through AT&T, then you won’t have it until the 25th rather than the 24th and if that extra day is more than you can bear, stay away from the AT&T store. There have been isolated cases of pre-order customers not getting the first shipment anyway, when the store received less than expected. AT&T also claimed that the card you pay will will have to be authorized for the full amount and refunded the difference from the off the shelf price to the subsidized price upon arrival. Not a great option.

Initially, many retailers like Best Buy and Radio Shack claimed they would take pre-orders. Some required a down payment of $50 and then rescinded that rule. Walmart cannot confirm pre-orders and according to Engadget, even the presence of a new iPhone at all.

When you get right down to it, the best option is Apple.com. If you don’t see it available right after midnight, wait until the morning. Be prepared to deal with slow load times on the site as it gets bogged down with a million people just like you.

Slow or fast, it’ll be from the comfort of your own home with a guaranteed delivery date of the 24th, so it sounds like the best bet.

- WWDC tomorrow
- Google/Microsoft breakup
- New AT&T data plans 

Everyone is waiting for the iPhone to leave AT&T and make its way to Verizon. It has been the hottest rumor for a long time. It come and goes but no matter what, it’s something that people keep talking about. There are even reports (of varying degree) of a CDMA iPhone. Some say it’s been decided. Some say it’s in production. Some say it’s not happening at all or ever.

The even bigger news and the part that Verizon hinges on is the exclusivity contract between Apple and AT&T. When the first iPhone came out in 2007, it was reported that there was a 5-year contract. Over subsequent years, the validity of that news has been brought into question. Many analyst were claiming that the relationship came to an end this year and that a Verizon model of the iPhone was not far behind.

Apple is in the middle of a lawsuit over its practices. A court found it worthwhile to investigate against claims of monopolies created by Apple. One such monopoly has to do with the tight control that Apple keeps over the AppStore and the other is based on this exclusive contract with AT&T. Apple maintains they offered the iPhone to Verizon and they passed.

News came out today that the initial contract between the two companies was, in fact, five years and set to expire in 2012. This should be an open and shut case and normally it would be. However, there’s one more possibility.

With the release of the iPad, things get a little confusing. Clearly Apple has found a home with AT&T to some degree in order to offer the iPad on that network. Does that mean it is the only carrier they will use? There is no way to tell.

One thing is for sure, in order to hammer our the details of the iPad 3G service, the two companies sat down and negotiated a relationship. This could mean that the terms of the exclusivity for the iPhone were included in those talks. And it could mean that they were shortened, lengthened or discussed and left alone. Only time will tell.

Anyone could bet that another carrier will see the iPhone at some point or another. Will it be Verizon? Possibly. Will it be 2010? That seems next to impossible. Reengineering the device for a CDMA network seems unlikely in a short time.

Maybe it’ll happen for the rollout of the 4g LTE network. Nobody knows for sure. If you have to rely on any information though, it’s safest to rely on the fact that the initial deal went into 2012. If nothing changed, then the iPhone is secure in the hands of AT&T for years. The rest is just rumor.