Apple today confirmed reports that Apple Retail Stores have stopped accepting cash for purchases of the iPhone. Apple made the change to prevent resellers from purchasing large quantities of iPhone, and then unlocking them for use on other carriers. Apple will now require store purchases to be made using debit or credit cards. Apple did not respond to the obvious workaround of purchasing Gift Cards with cash, and then using those to purchase iPhones.
AT&T Retail Stores still appear to be accepting cash for purchases, however because Apple controls the terms of iPhone sales inside of AT&T retail stores, this may change in the future.
Apple has limited the number of iPhone purchases per-person to two, since the iPhone launched in June.
Update: Stores are also reporting in that Apple has added Gift Cards to the prohibited currency list for iPhone purchases.
