Apple released its highly anticipated iPhone 4 this week, but don’t run out to the store just yet to buy one.  Preorder customers are getting the first chance to own these new phones in Brownwood and the local AT&T stores won’t see any on the shelves until next week according to officials.

“AT&T won’t be selling iPhone 4 until next Tuesday, June 29,” said AT&T media relations contact Meredith Adams.  “All inventory we receive prior to Tuesday will go to customers who preordered on June 15.  Preorder volumes were 10 times higher than last year’s iPhone, so we are working hard to get these devices into customers’ hands as soon as possible.”

Reports indicate that supplies may even be limited during the first few shipments due to higher than expected demand.

Here are some guidlines released by AT&T for what customers can do to get hold of the new iPhone.

• Preordered for home or business delivery:  iPhone 4 will begin arriving this week for customers who preordered.  We’ll send an email when each order has shipped.
• Preordered for store delivery: AT&T retail representatives will begin calling customers this week to let them know their iPhone 4 is available for pick up in store.
• Retail purchase (no preorder):  AT&T plans to have iPhone 4 inventory – available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last – on June 29 in its retail locations, at www.att.com, and in business sales channels.  As inventory sells out, AT&T will offer the convenient option of purchasing iPhone 4 and having it delivered to a home or business or an AT&T store.  As always, customers will receive an email once their order is placed, and again when it ships.

To help customers stay up to date on iPhone 4 activities and important information, AT&T will post a series of videos beginning early this week at www.facebook.com/att. The videos will be informative and packed with customer-friendly tips and instructions around order fulfillment, iPhone 4 activation, inventory and – importantly – the new MicroSIM unique to iPhone 4 devices.

The phone will cost $199 for a 16-gigabyte version and $299 for a version with 32 gigabytes of storage space for photos, videos, movies and apps.

The iPhone 4 has a higher-resolution screen, which Apple calls a “retina display” and says is better than anything in the industry.

It is about 25 percent thinner than the most recent generation of iPhones and features cameras on the front and back, which will allow video conferencing.

The phone comes in two colors: black and white.