Apple's online, phone order systems struggle with iPhone 4 demand
An influx of customers attempting to preorder the next-generation iPhone resulted in issues with Apple's online store and forced the company to temporarily reject callers to its 800 number on Tuesday.
Demand for iPhone 4 was so high that Apple began rejecting callers from its 800-MY-APPLE number.
"Thank you for calling Apple," a voice told callers Tuesday morning. "Due to extremely high call volumes, we are unable to answer your call at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please try your call again later. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the future."
Problems arose on Apple's website with the eligibility check for existing AT&T customers. Many who attempted to preorder iPhone 4 on Tuesday morning encountered a screen that read "Your request couldn't be processed. We're sorry, but there was an error processing your request. Please try again later."
Server problems even resulted in crashes for the new Apple Store application for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The software, released on Tuesday, was touted as an application that would allow users to preorder iPhone 4 from their current iPhone.
Many users who attempted to preorder using the new application found the software stuck at a "Processing" screen when attempting to check eligibility for an upgrade. The application would freeze on the screen until crashing back to the iPhone's home screen.
Issues even extended to AT&T's website, where error messages informed customers that the site was not currently available. AT&T is the exclusive wireless carrier of the iPhone in the U.S. The company's online site, along with Apple's, was also plagued by slow speeds due to high demand for iPhone 4.
Apple's next-generation phone is set to launch next week, on June 24. Preorders began as expected on Tuesday, as Apple said they would last week when Chief Executive Steve Jobs formally introduced iPhone 4. The new device includes a high-resolution Retina Display, and a forward-facing camera for FaceTime video chat over Wi-Fi.
While online and phone orders were a problem in some areas, customers were forced to wait in line to preorder in Tokyo, Japan, where there is no online ordering available. Silicon Alley Insider snapped pictures of customers forming long lines in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Demand for iPhone 4 was so high that Apple began rejecting callers from its 800-MY-APPLE number.
"Thank you for calling Apple," a voice told callers Tuesday morning. "Due to extremely high call volumes, we are unable to answer your call at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please try your call again later. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the future."
Problems arose on Apple's website with the eligibility check for existing AT&T customers. Many who attempted to preorder iPhone 4 on Tuesday morning encountered a screen that read "Your request couldn't be processed. We're sorry, but there was an error processing your request. Please try again later."
Server problems even resulted in crashes for the new Apple Store application for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The software, released on Tuesday, was touted as an application that would allow users to preorder iPhone 4 from their current iPhone.
Many users who attempted to preorder using the new application found the software stuck at a "Processing" screen when attempting to check eligibility for an upgrade. The application would freeze on the screen until crashing back to the iPhone's home screen.
Issues even extended to AT&T's website, where error messages informed customers that the site was not currently available. AT&T is the exclusive wireless carrier of the iPhone in the U.S. The company's online site, along with Apple's, was also plagued by slow speeds due to high demand for iPhone 4.
Apple's next-generation phone is set to launch next week, on June 24. Preorders began as expected on Tuesday, as Apple said they would last week when Chief Executive Steve Jobs formally introduced iPhone 4. The new device includes a high-resolution Retina Display, and a forward-facing camera for FaceTime video chat over Wi-Fi.
While online and phone orders were a problem in some areas, customers were forced to wait in line to preorder in Tokyo, Japan, where there is no online ordering available. Silicon Alley Insider snapped pictures of customers forming long lines in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Comments
At another level, it is deeply embarrassing for Apple and ATT. The fact that they could not get their act together with yet another launch is getting a bit tiresome. Granted, the feeling will soon pass, but it still rankles.
Made a mistake and tried to order two of them , was shut out by the time i took one out of my cart .
Bummer.
there are no excuses.
twenty-some-odd billion dollars in net profit a year between them and several years worth of experience under their belts and they still can't get it right? there should be more than a few people out on their asses for this.
there are no excuses.
I kind of agree. This is wasting my time, for the past 1.5 hours I have been trying to order off and on, and crashes every time.
Gotta work, so done for a while trying, and thus I will not be able to be a real early adapter on this, despite having planned some time this morning... bummer, and, yes, I am peeved! If I did not like Apple so much I would say "copulate Apple and ATT" and take my business elsewhere...
...
Demand for iPhone 4 was so high that Apple began rejecting callers from its 800-MY-APPLE number.
Without knowing the capabilities of their phone system that is a useless metric.
-kpluck
Once again, AT&T is unprepared to handle the traffic.
Mark D.
Steve Jobs: " All of them. "
Ummm, shouldn't we do upgrades BEFORE the launch guys? Just a thought. They should have been honest and posted a message stating that once again they dropped the proverbial ball.
I kind of agree. This is wasting my time, for the past 1.5 hours I have been trying to order off and on, and crashes every time.
Gotta work, so done for a while trying, and thus I will not be able to be a real early adapter on this, despite having planned some time this morning... bummer, and, yes, I am peeved! If I did not like Apple so much I would say "copulate Apple and ATT" and take my business elsewhere...
...why are you even trying multiple times when you know, as past history has proven, that today would undoubtably be the ONE DAY it would be problematic to attempt to pre-order?
Seriously, repeating the same behavior over and over and expecting a different result is a sure sign of mental illness. Why don't people learn from history? This day was virtually guaranteed to be a problem - no matter how many servers you threw at it. YOU have chosen to waste your time in multiple attempts, no one is forcing you to commit the same grievous error over and over. So redirect your peevedness back to yourself and find you happy place. Wait until the initial surge is over and then slide on in and get your order in. It's simple, logical, and while you aren't going to be that frantic "real early adopter" you will be a much more satisifed, happier, less stressed consumer.
And stockholder, this isn't directed solely at you, it applies to all who were siily enough to blythely ignore past release events, assuming that somehow, magically, against all odds things would be different this time - unicorns prancing, dragons flying about licking virgin princess lollipops, Ogres and trolls sitting down to a civilised tea, the oil in the Gulf all contained and removed without problem, Greece recovers economically via correction to a slight (and embarassing) bookkeeping error, and the order system completely unburdened by the millions of people who want to get this lovely bit of kit.
Wife just pre ordered through the new Apple Store app.
I've been trying that. The app keeps crashing. sigh...
Wife just pre ordered through the new Apple Store app.
...but NO virgin princess lollipops yet.
Just sayin'...