Apple’s retail stores will now open at 8 am in all locations to help alleviate the iPhone 3G backlog. Previously only some higher volume stores were opening earlier, with other Apple stores opening as late as 10am. This information is according to a notice posted on the Apple Retail Store iPhone 3G availability site (say that 10 times fast!). In addition web site Appleinsider reports that at least some of the Apple corporate stores will issue a raincheck for phones to be reserved and picked up later in the day (in case someone cannot stand in line due to that nasty thing called “a job”). It appears that some type of rain checks may already be in use at the New York 5th Ave store as I observed significantly shorter lines today and several people in line being handed slips of paper.

Apple via Appleinsider