Apple Stores Low On iPhones, Possible 3G Launch Soon?

Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray believes that the 3G iPhone could come sooner than expected due to numerous reports of sold out Apple Stores earlier today. It all started when the three New York stores were noticed to be out last Tuesday (March 25), followed by stores in Chicago, San Francisco, and all of Florida.

When AppleInsider contacted several Apple retail locations earlier today, a surprising number of them claimed to be either completely out of iPhones or running low on stock. Stores in Chicago, New York City, and San Francisco were all out of iPhones as of early evening Eastern Time. Supplies in the states of New York and Florida were reported as "constrained". AT&T stores experienced similar shortages.

Because of these claims, Gene Munster, senior analyst at Piper Jaffray, estimates that Apple might be planning a 3G-based iPhone launch in the near future. He further predicts that the new model will simply replace the existing one at the $400 price point. He also believes that they will show an entire family of iPhones by January 2009.

[via AppleInsider, MacNN]