iOS 6.1.2 - "Request Timed Out" - iOS App Store Updates

Check the following link regarding Apple's system status which now shows the event at 6:40am - 8:50 am. It should be resolved by now so you may want to try again (remember to shut down the iTunes app, then re-open it).

http://www.apple.com/support/systemstatus/

This is completely ********. I appreciate people taking the time to post tips in hopes it helps strangers, but the tips that people think did the trick...are, well, goofy. Clicking on this, sliding this, searching for this, bla bla bla. None of these tips have anything to do with the root cause. I think they are just coincidences...like it starts raining while you are listening to a song on the radio, therefore that song must have caused the rain. I have had this iPhone 4 for a few years and never encountered this app store updates issue until upgrading the iOS 6.1.2 a few days ago. Simple logic leads me to believe that the root cause is the OS update. As an engineer, I don't feel comfortable just hoping it goes away or doing silly things like setting my time zone to something else, changing my language to something else or searching for apps and then hoping that somehow makes the update tab start working. Since my web search has yielded no concrete solution, I will contact Apple Support. I just hate to start that whole laborious process. And Lord knows I don't want to have to endure the Apple Store at the mall...

How nice. Bought the iPhone, made tons of app purchases over the last few years and downloaded and installed THEIR iOS update and when I have a problem caused by it...I have to PAY $20 to them to get help. Nice. Shameful service. They make BUYING things from them so easy...one click and you can purchase anything. But getting support? Like pulling teeth. My contract is up with AT&T, so I'm going to get rid of this piece of cr@p and get a Droid.