Many Users Unable to Pre-Order iPhone 4; Potential Workaround

UPDATE: Some users have had success using the Apple Store iPhone app to reserve the iPhone 4 for pickup.

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A number of users are experiencing difficulty pre-ordering the iPhone 4, as Apple and AT&T servers appear to be crushed by demand for the new device.

Users attempting to pre-order from the online Apple Store are receiving one of two error messages:

Your session expired. Your session has expired due to inactivity. Please try again.

Your request couldn’t be processed. We’re sorry, but there was an error processing your request. Please try again later.

Users attempting to pre-order from the AT&T website are receiving the error message:

Due to a system upgrade the site is temporarily unavailable, please try again later. For immediate assistance please contact customer service at 1-800-331-0500.

Some users have who have gotten to the point directly prior to checkout but can proceed no further have found that adding another item to the cart allows them to successfully move to the checkout screen. The item can then be removed and the iPhone 4 pre-order placed.