As pretty much everyone residing in the US and still breathing is already aware, the Apple iPhone went on sale nationwide today. Apple and AT&T retail stores across the country sported long lines of anxious iPhone hopefuls. As 6pm rolled around, many people who had waited in line for very long periods of time started walking out with iPhones in hand, and smiles on faces.

Apple sent out an email this morning making the iPhone's arrival official. Stating little more than "Say Hello to iPhone Today," the notice from Apple will greet many an anxious prospective customer as they open their inboxes today. For hordes of iPhone hopefuls, many long months of waiting are less than a half a day away from being over.

Like everything iPhone related, there has a lot of speculation around when the iPhones are actually arriving in stores. The most recently well held notion was that FedEx would deliver shipments during the midday shutdown all Apple and AT&T retail stores are undergoing. Earlier today, the idea that iPhones were arriving during the middle of the night surfaced. As it turns out, it looks like iPhones are already arriving in stores.

AppleInsider recently reported that Apple plans to have slumber parties at each of it's 164 retail outlets tonight, on iPhone Release Day Eve. Each location will be reportedly staffed by two employees - a store manager and another employee. The purpose, the report speculated, was to provide additional security overnight.

The long awaited Apple iPhone goes on sale tomorrow. As previously announced, all retail outlets (both Apple stores and AT&T stores) will be closing during the day and reopening to sell the iPhone at 6pm local time. Apple's online store won't be selling the phone until 6pm PDT. A new press release by Apple today laid out all the rules for buying an iPhone at an Apple retail store.

The full set gameday rules are as follows: