Customers receive shipment dates, expected arrival times for iPhone 4 handsets

Very detailed answer

I pre-ordered my phone via Apple's website on June 15th (after 14 hours worth of attempts). I received a confirmation e-mail the next day and the cost of the phone was deducted from my checking account. When I originally checked the order status on Apple's website it stated it would be “delivered on June 24th.” Two days later there was a message stating it had shipped and there was a link to direct me to the FedEx website for tracking purposes. I checked a few times and there wasn't much information other than where the package was located in transit. Today there was a delivery date posted of “June 23rd, by 10:30 a.m.” Skeptical, I called Apple, the representative I spoke with informed me there was nothing indicating I would not receive it on the 23rd, I repeatedly asked for assurance, and he did not change his tune. To be thorough, I called FedEx, and spoke with two reps, a local one, and one from the international rep department (apparently they are more intelligent, according to the first guy I spoke with). The local guy told me that I will receive it on the 23rd. I explained to him the levity of the situation, and that I found it very odd that a company with the stature of Apple would allow a device of this magnitude to be released to the general public prior to the widely anticipated release date of June 24th. That's when he passed me to the international representative. The IR told me that while he can't give me a 100% guarantee that it will arrive on the 23rd, it has been pre-cleared through customs (which is sometimes the one thing that will hold an item up) so there really is nothing indicating that it won't, and at this point it is on schedule and barring anything outside of the realm of his knowledge, I should receive it on the 23rd before 10:30 a.m. Awesome.

Opps, Early morning “P” attack.
Shipment*