iTunes activation servers go down, iPhone 3G customers being sent home unactivated, first-gen iPhone customers stuck with dead iPhones

In a repeat of last year's problems, it looks like the insane demand for the iPhone 3G has taken its toll on Apple's iTunes activation servers -- that's a picture of iTunes locking up in the Chicago AT&T flagship earlier this morning. We're hearing that the servers are now definitely down after being intermittently active for the past few hours, and that customers are either being turned away or sent home from both Apple and AT&T stores to activate at home using iTunes. That's especially interesting since it suggests that AT&T was insisting on in-store activation to thwart unlockers, but for right now the real news is that lots of eager iPhone 3G buyers are stuck with two useless phones, since upgrading from a first-gen unit disables the SIM. Ouch. We'll keep you updated.

Update: Apple has confirmed to us that activation is down, and that customers are being asked to take the phone home and activate via iTunes later. We're not sure what good that'll do, since the servers are down no matter where you are, but Apple says it's "working on a solution." In the meantime, it looks like the new SIM works in first-gen units, so at least upgraders aren't totally phone-deprived. Oh, and remember that updating a first-gen iPhone to 2.0 requires hitting the server as well, so if you haven't taken the plunge we'd say hold off until this all gets sorted.

Update 2: In related news, those updating their first-gen iPhone to 2.0 are also getting caught in the activation shuffle, leaving some with bricked iPhones. In our test case, the activation servers came back up after about 45 minutes just long enough to get 2.0 running on our first-gen iPhone, but not all have been so lucky. Is your first-gen iPhone stuck in activation limbo from the update? Let us know.

[Almighty- @ Jul 11th 2008 10:55AM]

APPLE = FAIL !

[Socioguy @ Jul 11th 2008 11:02AM]

iFail

[Webster @ Jul 11th 2008 11:06AM]

Yep definitely ill-prepared.. but on a positive note.. the chick in the picture is quite attractive.. (on the left).

[neoAkira @ Jul 11th 2008 11:09AM]

Agreed

[roadracer @ Jul 11th 2008 11:12AM]

she's teh hawt!

[bolezhinkov @ Jul 11th 2008 11:23AM]

looks like brains and beauty have been kept separate yet again though.

"whats she typing?"

[IT-Accountant @ Jul 11th 2008 11:25AM]

@flashpoint: Read the freaking review. He mentions both the dock incompatibility and the non-replaceable battery.

Trolling is one thing, bashing the editor of a site on HIS OWN SITE is just stupid. Why are you here if you despise the content so much?

[farfisa @ Jul 11th 2008 11:31AM]

@Webster--yeah, she's looking vulnerable... And, like, fifteen!

[Myles7701 @ Jul 11th 2008 11:44AM]

I KNEW that I should have waited a day or 2 update my 1st-gen iPhone!!!

DAMMIT APPLE!!!!!!!

[Matt @ Jul 11th 2008 11:55AM]

Is that Denise Richards on the left?

[Harlo @ Jul 11th 2008 12:07PM]

I was thinking it was Billie Piper. I'm not a Doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but if she's interested I could use a companion.

[Andy @ Jul 11th 2008 12:53PM]

Ouch...some harsh comments. I think expectations were too high. Still, they'll fix the bugs soon enough. You should always wait a bit before buying. As some analysts have been saying, http://www.savingtoinvest.com/2008/07/apple-3g-iphone-update-and-analyst.html, global sales are booming so Apple != fail (ie apple will not fail!)

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Jul 11th 2008 12:25PM]

My iphone 3G is with me right now, and now I have a service-less phone. The idiot dude at the counter (I'm at that same store pictured) said to activate with the MBP in my arm. Wait to go Apple, AT&T and Co.

[Kurian @ Jul 11th 2008 12:33PM]

This hardware equivalent of Windows Product Activation is getting on my nerves.

I'd just love the day they crack this shit. Just like the joy one gets of applying a WGA crack on a genuine Windows.

[Dirk Belligerent @ Jul 11th 2008 12:41PM]

What are you people complaining about? You have the sleekest, most stylish, non-functioning, good-only-if-you-have-a-stack-of-papers-near-a-open-window-on-a-breezy-day, multimedia, babe-magnet, mobile communications device EVAR! Who cares if it doesn't work? What ungrateful proles you are! Lord Jobs should confiscate your phones if you're going to speak heresy about it.

Whoops! Gotta run. Call coming in on my 3-1/2 year old, busted-up T-Mobile Samsung flip phone. kthxbai!

[drjay868 @ Jul 11th 2008 12:41PM]

Damn am I glad Verizon told Jobbs to go F*@% himself when he approached Verizon first...

[haX0r @ Jul 11th 2008 12:50PM]

another...iDud

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 11th 2008 12:56PM]

You're right, this fiasco could never happen in the WinMo world of handsets since there's such low demand. Five or ten purchasers around the world would never bring down a server.

This only happens when a company's product has high enough demand to sell a million handsets in one day. That's the curse of being too successful.

[Jeff @ Jul 11th 2008 1:21PM]

Their servers have been down all day, yet they keep the link on Apple.com to update to 2.0. This makes no sense. They're driving traffic to servers that are down! Pull the link from apple.com till everything is up again.

[GadgetNut @ Jul 11th 2008 1:33PM]

Yeah foxy chick on the left looks like Denise Richards...hawt!

[rob @ Jul 11th 2008 2:20PM]

anyone having problems with the me.com web services too? slow as hell and various pages won't load up at all.

[MikeB @ Jul 11th 2008 2:36PM]

Big time iFail... I was 1/2 way through updating my 1st generation iPhone and then the servers went down... now I have a 1st generation iBRICK!

[SimbaDogg @ Jul 11th 2008 3:53PM]

i can't help but chuckle a little bit inside. I mean, hasn't everyone always said dont buy the first gen of ANYTHING. moreover...dont wait in line for that first gen of anything, unless ur just going to sell it on ebay.

[Travis @ Jul 11th 2008 4:21PM]

iBrick

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Jul 11th 2008 7:08PM]

Total awesomeness. I got my iphone 3G activated by plugging in my iphone to my MBP, and leaving it for 10-15 minutes ( Hafta ignore that error mssg.)

[bellevegasj @ Jul 11th 2008 7:28PM]

Apple - it just works.

Girl on the right is cuter.

[Bob @ Jul 20th 2008 10:18PM]

Funny how it's "no big deal, Apple will fix it with updates" when that is exactly what Microsoft does... Why do you give Microsoft so much crap when Apple is doing this same thing and it's "no big deal" for you? Give me a break fanboys...

[tgold @ Jul 11th 2008 10:56AM]

This is bad.

[LondonConsultant @ Jul 11th 2008 12:11PM]

Yep, that'll teach Apple for relying on Windows Server...

[Neal @ Jul 11th 2008 12:23PM]

What makes you think Apple is running Windows Server?

Ironically ATT is running Windows Server, and they are not only able to process all the iPhone requests, but all other non-iPhone activations around the world for ATT phones being sold today without issue, yet somehow Apple is the one with the issues on the iTunes portion...

Hmm...

[h075h17 @ Jul 11th 2008 1:14PM]

Everyone in the Salt Lake has been turned away to activate their phones at home. And iTunes is STILL down... Any word on when it'll be up?!?

[quandmeme @ Jul 11th 2008 3:29PM]

When there were rumors of an early 2.0 release I was hoping it would be true. Then the whole world would not be pinging at once. Get the 2.5G phones activated during the week, and then ensure that 4G users have an awesome experience.

[sorensilk @ Jul 11th 2008 3:49PM]

At least a few people got the 2.0 software early. I downloaded it yesterday morning and have been enjoying it with no problems. ;)

[Jagster @ Jul 11th 2008 4:52PM]

@LondonConsultant

Perhaps you meant, "that'll teach Apple for relying on Apple Xserve"? They do use their own products, no?

[Sean @ Jul 11th 2008 10:56AM]

Apple failed with this today. I'm stuck without a phone right now, as is thousands of people.

[tyler @ Jul 11th 2008 11:02AM]

...without a phone right now, as *are thousands of people.

Rank as you must...

[Owen @ Jul 11th 2008 11:05AM]

As am I, very sad. At least my old one still works.

[Tyler @ Jul 11th 2008 11:07AM]

So am i..Got my phone at about 8:15 or 8:30 CT..Got home, and now nothing works..BullShit...

[Christian Martin @ Jul 11th 2008 12:09PM]

Me too, but I count that as a bonus. It means I can get some sleep without work bothering me, and I have an excuse with plenty of proof.

[Dale @ Jul 11th 2008 12:14PM]

At least you got one. A lot of us waited and got a piece of paper.

And let's put it in perspective, for almost everyone, this is a replacement phone... it's really not a huge deal if you can't use it for an extra day. You coped just fine before.

[Lonecow @ Jul 11th 2008 12:20PM]

Yeah I started updating right before Engadget posted this about the servers or I would have waited. Now I'm stuck without a phone and I have to leave to go out of town the rest of the weekend to go to a wedding and now I'll be without a stupid phone.

[Saro @ Jul 11th 2008 12:35PM]

yup, me too. trying to upgrade 1st gn to 2.0 = dead phone :-(

[kal326 @ Jul 11th 2008 12:36PM]

Apple 3G launch = EPIC FAIL...

As much crap as people give Microsoft over software activation, at least my GSM WinMo phone doesn't have to phone home to its MANUFACTURER to work. Pop SIM in new phone and presto, "It just works...."

[Nohone @ Jul 11th 2008 12:55PM]

I woke up this morning, plugged in my iPhone and got the 2.0 update. When it finished downloading and installing, iTunes told me "Make sure **your** network settings are correct and **your** network connection is active"

So apple has a problem with their servers, and they blame it on my internet connection. I know it is a canned message, but still. But even more of a problem is this is **still** on the servers. Apple, quit bricking people's phones and pull the update from the servers!

[frog @ Jul 11th 2008 3:09PM]

I updated to the new version of iTunes last night. Then, this morning around 7:30am (eastern time), I checked for an iPhone firmware update (i.e. 2.0) for my 1st-gen iPhone, and it said it was ready. TWO HOURS LATER, it was finished updating my 1st-gen iPhone. But around that same time, the server must have gone down, because within iTunes, it wouldn't let me view the settings of my iPhone (e.g. to choose which music playlists I want synced). Weird. There must have been some final final step, and the servers must have crashed right before. But I seem to have iPhone 2.0 firmware and it seems to work fine.

I'm just happy I didn't brick my phone. Ridiculous. If they didn't have the bandwidth to handle this, they shouldn't have allowed iTunes to update everyone's firmware at the same time. I was playing by the rules, waiting for iTunes to allow me to upgrade the firmware.

[retro77 @ Jul 11th 2008 10:56AM]

Fail. Stock tumbling.

[Scentedflame @ Jul 11th 2008 11:01AM]

Uh...nope

Apple is currently beating the market. How is that tumbling?

[retro77 @ Jul 11th 2008 11:05AM]

Doen $2.48 atm

[retro77 @ Jul 11th 2008 11:05AM]

Heres a link:
http://finance.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ:AAPL

[Malikye @ Jul 11th 2008 11:15AM]

@Scentedflame

Epic Fail