Appreciate the offer, but a non-smart phone doesn't really help--I almost never bother with voice (except for outgoing, and Google Voice/X-Lite on my laptop is sufficient for doing things like calling UA, etc.). It's data and a camera that I need.

My strategy is pretty much this at this point:

-Continue scouring local stores for the 6 Plus in my configuration over the next six days until I leave for ICN
-If nothing becomes available, run over to Costco or Best Buy and get the cheapest passable digital camera I can find for my trip, and then order the phone online for delivery before I return (just before Thanksgiving).

If I'm able to obtain a phone now, it'll save me the cost of getting a camera for my trip, so that's my main motivation for trying to get one now.

I'm posting updates about my experience here both to vent (thanks) and also to help others who might be reading and trying to do the same thing as I am.

And you have your very own thread for it now! :)

Might be worth just buying a cheapie to carry you over. If you're stuck in the iOS ecosystem, what does a used 4S cost these days?

iPhones being in high demand at launch surprised you? It's been the way for...well...ever. ;)

I ordered 2 the day after launch and they came about 2 weeks ago, 10-15 days ahead of the original commitment. I ordered another one through my employer account on 10/1 and it showed a 10/31 delivery date, so I'm hoping it's soon.

So they're still in demand and simply ordering one will take weeks, at a minimum. The most recent orders here show Showing up at the store periodically seems to be the only option, and it's up to how lucky you are that you visit matches a FedEx delivery.

This may give you a feel for relative demand. I see a 128 Gray 6 that actually shipped 3 days after order, last week. But some of the data is a bit random/inconsistent.

That's really your only option. I've also read that it's next-to-impossible to respond fast enough to the in-stock alerts from various sites. By the time you add it to your cart and checkout, the stock is already gone.

FWIW, Apple.com order for the AT&T iPhone 6 Plus are taking quite a while, may be even past the currently estimated 3-4 weeks. My friend placed his order just under 4 weeks ago and has had no update yet.

Oh good--now I don't feel quite so guilty about monopolizing the other thread. ;) Although I did post what I thought was a very clear question about my specific needs and received a lot of advice that really didn't apply to me, so it's not all my fault. :p

I stood in line on launch day for the 3G, ordered the 4 the moment pre-ordered opened up and received it on launch day, and bought a 5 at the Wilmington, DE store with no issues a week or so after it came out. So I'm quite familiar with the tight inventory of past generations.

However, I think it is relatively unprecedented that the phone is completely impossible to buy a month after launch. In previous release cycles, availability was tight on launch day and for a week or two afterwards, after which it softened up and, while perhaps walk-ins weren't guaranteed a device at every store, it was pretty easy to get one online or reserve one for pick-up in a store in advance soon after launch. But we're going on almost 30 days after the device first opened up for sale, and availability is still as bad as any previous launch day was.

I kinda hate to suggest it, but it might be an option: buy an iPhone 5s and return when you get a 6.

I really haven't researched this, so please do the homework before considering it, but if you have a SIM and buy an older unlocked phone and return it within 14 days . . .

On ethical grounds, I hesitate to do that, too, but even if I decided to overcome the ethical issue, as I mentioned, I'm leaving the country in 6 days and will be gone for just over one month. I can't see how it would work out to return it before the return period expires.

I'm a little annoyed with not having a phone right now, but I'm managing (really, actually, the most annoying thing about not having a phone now is potentially missing an email from one of the stock tracking sites saying they found a phone in stock somewhere!). The real reason I want a phone now is so I have something to take pictures with on my next trip. Buying a 5S or borrowing a several-year-old phone or whatever is really not going to help me with that, unfortunately.

Actually, Costco has a generous 90 day return policy.

So as long as you don't damage the camera and retain all the inbox materials …

That thought crossed my mind. But there's that ethical issue again... :eek:

Just buy one used and sell it when you get your 6. You probably won't loose much money. Think of it as a rental.

^^^

Presumably Costco prices their products, including the $55 a year membership, to support their generous return policy.

And/or, the number of people who take advantage of the return policy isn't big enough to cause them to change the policy.

It's not an independent book store or coffee shop so its survival isn't under threat because of a too liberal return policy.

Stopped by the Apple Store in Lancaster again right at opening. No one in line, but no 6 Pluses in stock.

Went out to grab a bite to eat and resolved to keep a very close eye on my email and the Apple Store website. I launched up store.apple.com only to find that it was down for the press event today (new iPads, iMacs, whatever--starts in 5 minutes).

I munched on my lunch and then suddenly it occurred to me--availability might be easier to get in-store today because no one can snipe them online!

I proceeded to call the Apple Store, but the representative told me that he was not physically in the store and could not check inventory because their systems were down for updating due to the press event. "Now's my chance," I thought, so I rushed back to the store just before 12:30. Asked if any new phones had come in, and she checked...BOOM!

I now have a reservation for pick-up today and am fifth in "line." The "line" seems to not be moving quickly (maybe they're still updating inventory and unloading them from the shipping pallet?) but hey, I'm going to get one *today*. :)

I didn't get to buy it online (for 2% cash back) or at the Wilmington store (to save 6% sales tax), but it's worth $40 to be done with the stress and walk out today with one.

Thanks for everyone's help. Hope my experience proves helpful to anyone else looking to snag one!

Thus ends the saga. :)