Everyone expected there to be a shortage of the iPhone 4, but did anyone really expect so few to be delivered in the first consignment?  According to Pocket-Lint, the UK has 16,000 iPhone 4s to sell, which have to be spread out between the Apple Stores, O2, Vodafone and Orange outlets, plus Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U.

No wonder O2 decided to limited their iPhone 4 sales to existing customers!

It’s estimated that there are more than 4000 mobile phone shops in the UK, and those stocking the iPhone 4 probably account for half that – Carphone Warehouse have 800 alone, while O2, Orange and Apple add approximately another 730 – so the figures would suggest a tiny amount has been allocated to each branch.

When you then consider that 700 people queued outside the flagship Regent Street Apple Store, you have to wonder how many are going to go home empty handed.  That won’t be a good feeling if you had been camped out since last night!  The situation looks even worse when The Guardian notes that one London retailer told them they had just six iPhone 4s to sell today!

Have you been turned away?  Tell us your woes in the comments on our iPhone 4 launch post and we promise to be sympathetic.