After having my Samsung Blackjack for over two years, I’m out of contract and in the hunt for a new phone – and iPhone to be exact.

Last weekend I either called or physically over ten different shops on the Gold Coast looking for an iPhone to no avail. Initially I was calling different Vodafone stores over the Gold Coast and I got a consistent message – “we don’t have any but more stock is coming in constantly”. It wasn’t until I talked to Optus, 3, Crazy Johns, All Phones and more that I realised it was much worst than I had first thought. It appears a though every retailer is struggling to get any significant stock for the iPhone, having them delivered in dribs and drabs instead of by the carton or pallet.

I called the new Apple Store that has opened in the recently renovated Robina Town Centre and they had stock, which was great. Unfortunately it came with a caveat of sorts, I could have one right now if I bought it outright or I’d have to book in an appointment online for one of their iPhone specialists (read: standard phone consultant that knows the process of the major phone networks). I wanted to just walk in, like I would have to a Vodafone store and upgrade my phone but I couldn’t do that without buying it outright – which frustrated me.

While the Gold Coast iPhone stock is so low, I guess the iPhone is my unicorn.