This'll come as no surprise to those of you that've been following our
worldwide line / stock watch, but with lines hitting six hours long, Apple's started capping them so that stores can close and prepare for tomorrow. Reports of line capping are coming mostly from larger stores in the East Coast and Midwest, but the Glendale Apple store in California is reportedly capped as well. Interestingly, while carrier stores worldwide have all sold out, we've heard that most Apple stores have had more than enough inventory -- one tipster reported that delivery trucks were being used to store overflow, since the main stock rooms were full at his local store -- so we're guessing the lines have more to do with the
slowness of the activation process catching Apple off-guard. It certainly wasn't smooth sailing today, but eventually things
started working, and it seems like anger's turned to love for a lot of folks. And isn't that the basis of every good relationship? Oh, right. So who's going to get up and do this all again with us tomorrow?
posted July 11th 2008 10:49PM
That's nothing. I waited 12 hour's to get my iPhone in Atl. I got in line at noon and got in at midnight. There were only 250 people in front of me. They were processing less then 30 people an hour.
Just popped by the Chestnut Street Apple Store and there are about 50 people in line Saturday at 8:45.... Despite the Apple Website claiming availability of all 3 iPhone flavors the Apple Employees were walking up and down the line saying 16 GB Black were Sold Out.... WTF? The store hadn't even opened yet...
So add another misstep by Apple... The online store inventory website doesn't even work....
As PE said, DON'T TRUST IT!!!
http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/availability.html?state=CA
I was at Trafford centre in UK at 8.02 Friday morning.
I left with the phone (but still not activated due to 02 servers crashing) at 4.40pm !!!
And to top it all had to go back this morning cos the software was corrupted!
But fair play to Apple store, they have been great throughout it all.
Just 02 should have known what to expect and been ready for it with contingency in place.
They look like lemmings
I know the economy isn't as bad as we're told when I see this sort of thing.
Well.. waiting at Apple Store in Palo Alto (the one on University Ave.).. according to Apple rep. there was a line (about 70 people) till 11PM last night.. and they gave raincheck to those who were here till 11PM.. they get first priority in line.. so if you are planning to get an iPhone today.. you will need to wait a while.. and apparently.. AT&T activation server crashed again this morning at 9AM..
They finally capped the line around 9pm at the Las Vegas Apple store at Fashion Show Mall, but repeatedly guaranteed everyone a phone that was in line. At 11:00pm they told everyone to go home because they "lost communication with AT&T" and would not be able to restore it for the rest of the night. Those of us in the front of the line had waited over 4 hours, some nearing 5 hours. They told us if we came back today that we would be able to form a second line and blend "fairly" with the people waiting in line this morning, but that we would not be able to jump the line, and that there were no guarantees for a phone, nor could they guarantee that a specific model would be in place. Our line would be expedited but the wait would probably still be another hour to two hours. I haven't gone back. I waited 4 and a half hours (after initially being told by two different employees that the line was only an hour long) and was sent away empty handed because their connection went down. If AT&T and Apple can't keep their system up for opening day, what the hell is their service going to be like once they have my money?