Apple's Iphone 4 supply for the UK gets worse

THREE WEEKS from the date of a fanbois' order seems to be the Apple online store's latest shipment delay minimum while the London Regents Street Apple Store has run out of stock and staff there tell The INQUIRER that they don't have a date for a delivery.

Continuing the supply troubles that the fruit themed company has had, the official launch date for the shiny new toy was 24 June, but even before then the UK Apple online store had July dates for shipment. Supply problems have also impacted mobile network operators wanting to offer the handset, as the launch date came and went and the companies were unable to stock any. Apple has said that delays are due to an unexpected volume of orders, with 600,000 handsets having been pre-ordered on the first day.

Fanbois queued around the block all day last Thursday to buy the Iphone 4 from the London Regents Street outlet and it sold out. The store's staff told The INQUIRER that customers will now have to register their email to go on a "priority list" and that they will be informed when a handset is available. Apple media relations was not available for comment on the online or retail supply situation.

The US company S3 Graphics has initiated legal action against Apple through the US International Trade Commission. If the ITC concludes that Apple has infringed S3 Graphics patents as the company claims then Steve Jobs' Iphones could be stopped from reaching the US market until any actual infringement is resolved. µ