Apple online store goes down in preparation of iPhone SE, 9.7-inch iPad Pro sales
Apple's online storefront went down for maintenance late Wednesday in preparation of a start to preorders for the iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro, two new devices announced at a special event on Monday.
Customers visiting Apple's online store are being presented with a splash screen reading, "We can't wait to show you what we have in store," a familiar notice the company uses prior to opening sales for a new product. In this case, Apple is expected to start sales of the new 4-inch iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which were unveiled onstage at the "Let us loop you in" event earlier this week.
A reworking of the iPhone 5s, iPhone SE is an amalgamation of internal components borrowed from iPhone 6 and 6s handsets. From the flagship 6s line comes an A9 system-on-chip with embedded M9 motion coprocessor and a 12-megapixel iSight camera with support for HD video capture at 4K resolutions. The SE snags its Touch ID module from the iPhone 6 which, alongside an NFC chip, enables Apple Pay payments.
As Apple's most affordable iPhone ever, iPhone SE starts at just $399 for a 16-gigabyte model, while a 64-gigabyte upgrade comes in at $499. Color options include silver, Space Gray, gold and rose gold.
Apple's 9.7-inch iPad Pro is very much a shrunken down version of the 12.9-inch Pro model launched last year. The tablet sports support for Apple Pencil, a Smart Connector port for a specially designed Smart Keyboard, quad-speaker audio and an impressive communications suite. Improvements over the 12.9-inch version include a True Tone display that automatically adjusts brightness and color temperature for a "paper-white" viewing experience, as well as an upgraded 12MP rear-facing camera with True Tone flash.
The new iPad Pro variant comes in at $599 for a 32GB version with Wi-Fi. A 128GB model runs $749, while a new 256GB configuration goes for $899. Wi-Fi + Cellular models are priced at $729, $879 and $1029 for 32GB, 128GB and 256GB, respectively.
Like the iPhone SE, Apple is offering the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in a new rose gold color variation, joining the usual space grey, gold and silver options.
Shipments for iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro orders placed on Thursday are scheduled to go out on March 31.
For those thinking about making a purchase, AppleInsider was on location at Monday's event and had a chance to go hands-on with Apple's latest iPhone and iPad Pro models.
Customers visiting Apple's online store are being presented with a splash screen reading, "We can't wait to show you what we have in store," a familiar notice the company uses prior to opening sales for a new product. In this case, Apple is expected to start sales of the new 4-inch iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which were unveiled onstage at the "Let us loop you in" event earlier this week.
A reworking of the iPhone 5s, iPhone SE is an amalgamation of internal components borrowed from iPhone 6 and 6s handsets. From the flagship 6s line comes an A9 system-on-chip with embedded M9 motion coprocessor and a 12-megapixel iSight camera with support for HD video capture at 4K resolutions. The SE snags its Touch ID module from the iPhone 6 which, alongside an NFC chip, enables Apple Pay payments.
As Apple's most affordable iPhone ever, iPhone SE starts at just $399 for a 16-gigabyte model, while a 64-gigabyte upgrade comes in at $499. Color options include silver, Space Gray, gold and rose gold.
Apple's 9.7-inch iPad Pro is very much a shrunken down version of the 12.9-inch Pro model launched last year. The tablet sports support for Apple Pencil, a Smart Connector port for a specially designed Smart Keyboard, quad-speaker audio and an impressive communications suite. Improvements over the 12.9-inch version include a True Tone display that automatically adjusts brightness and color temperature for a "paper-white" viewing experience, as well as an upgraded 12MP rear-facing camera with True Tone flash.
The new iPad Pro variant comes in at $599 for a 32GB version with Wi-Fi. A 128GB model runs $749, while a new 256GB configuration goes for $899. Wi-Fi + Cellular models are priced at $729, $879 and $1029 for 32GB, 128GB and 256GB, respectively.
Like the iPhone SE, Apple is offering the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in a new rose gold color variation, joining the usual space grey, gold and silver options.
Shipments for iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro orders placed on Thursday are scheduled to go out on March 31.
For those thinking about making a purchase, AppleInsider was on location at Monday's event and had a chance to go hands-on with Apple's latest iPhone and iPad Pro models.
Comments
Of course it is unnecessary from a technical viewpoint. If they wanted to they could make changes months in advance, and program them to go live at a given time in a given location.
But Apple has always been about anticipation. Anticipation for the launch and the urgency when stocks "run low" shortly after launch. All part of the stigma that surrounds Apple. It gets their fans excited and generates millions of dollars of free advertising. And it works!
I just wonder the reasoning behind it? The absence of a "Store Front" baffles me to no end.
Not to mention also coordinating its systems with all of the major cellular carriers and their systems to verify upgrade statuses among other things. This isn't as simple as click buy and its done like Amazon.
They integrated the store into the main website last year, which makes it easier to purchase products. Before, there were more steps to order a product. Now, it's more simplified.