Apple Store begins taking new iPad WiFi and 4G orders for March 16 delivery
The online Apple Store has begun taking preorders for the new iPad, with color options, 16, 32 and 64GB storage options, and WiFi or mobile 4G options all priced identical to last year's iPad 2 (which is now discounted $100).
The store remained offline for about two hours following the company's unveiling of the new iPad, and even after going up, the site has failed to respond for some, generating "oops" error messages, recalling the ordering issues Apple experienced under heavy loads for previous iPad and iPhone releases.
Apple is currently limiting preorders to two per customer.
However, when it is available, the site offers a single 16GB WiFi iPad 2 option for $399 in black or white, and the new iPad model in either color, any of three capacities in WiFi versions for $499 (16GB), $599 (32GB) and $699 (64GB).
A mobile option supporting 4G (and falling back to 3G EvDo or UMTS/EDGE/GSM) on either AT&T or Verizon is available for $129 more, at $629 (16GB), $729 (32GB) and $829 (64GB).
The mobile versions support either AT&T or Verizon-style 4G LTE service in the US, with international versions supporting existing 3G service or 4G LTE with select carriers. As with previous iPad mobile models, the new iPad offers no-commitment data plans with no long term contracts.
AT&T mobile plans range from $15 for 250MB to $30 for 2GB to $50 for 5GB, while Verizon's plans offer a $30 2GB option, $50 for 5GB, or $80 for 10GB monthly.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
The order system is being hammered hard by people looking to pre-order.
I tried again a few minutes ago and got in and was able to process my order. I'm getting this as a gift for a family member and did not want to deal with the crowd or time on launch day or take the chance on them being back ordered.
If you really want one then keep trying every once in a while.
Black 32g WiFi
anyone else?
Http/1.1 Service Unavailable
Http/1.1 Service Unavailable
Oops!
Oops!
Blargh!!!
... the site has failed to respond for some, generating "oops" error messages ...
I can confirm this happened to me.
Absolutely the worst online buying experience I've ever had (and it isn't over yet!).
I am sure there are thousands and thousands of people crying in front of their computers right now.
I got routed to the wrong country's store first, then when I tried to back out at the address confirmation stage it froze. Managed to get to the same page on the right store later on but frozen again. No feedback, no spinning indicators, nothing.
Also, parts of my iCloud mail seem to be down and all my devices are being flooded with SPAM.
wonderful
I'm pretty sure this new IPad will BREAK all the Apple Store records!
I ordered mine, but I've gotta say, that pricing for AT&T is really slimy, its an absolute shame that they give you less data for a faster connection for the same price as cell phones. What a godawful company.
My question is will we still be able to grandfather in our AT&T unlimited accounts like we could with the iPad 2?
I was able to get as far as the engraving option page....trying to skip that and going to the next is proving impossible though.
keep trying couple of times, if HTTP 1.1 timeout messages come out, wait a bit longer. soon you would get in. it is much better than iphone4 pre-order.
ATT pricing for non-apple 4g hardware:
Now I'm officially pissed off. I get 1 gb less for my 30 dollars than someone with a Galaxy Tab LTE device.
I can confirm this happened to me.
Absolutely the worst online buying experience I've ever had (and it isn't over yet!).
Sorry, but that's to be expected when you order within hours after the keynote. It is frustrating but with some patience and perseverance I was able to order mine at 4:11 pm EST. Keep trying. It should calm down in a few hours.
The most frustrating thing is that I know that the next time I see Tim Cook, he'll be preening himself about how successful today was. And here I am left with the first genuinely angering experience I've had buying Apple stuff. And I've been buying Apple stuff since the PowerBook 100.
Sorry, but that's to be expected when you order within hours after the keynote. It is frustrating but with some patience and perseverance I was able to order mine at 4:11 pm EST. Keep trying. It should calm down in a few hours.
It's to be expected when Apple can legitimately say they were taken off guard by demand. But at some point, the company with the most cash in the world stops getting to use the excuse of unexpected demand.
They need to find a way to cope with this kind of spike. I even went to the Apple store and they wouldn't take the order. "We're having the same problem as you," the adolescent said happily, like the iPad is something he just made himself out of Legos.
A slow experience is one thing. But slogging through the miserable experience again and again to find the cart inexplicably empty several times and then suddenly full with 4 iPads another time.... that's really bad.
By far my worst experience ever, with Apple. Been trying 3 hours now and still can't get through. I get to the cart, and it's empty, then I get get through a dozen times, then I get to the cart, and it's empty, then after too many attempts to count, I get to the cart and I'm told I can't buy 4. WTF.
The most frustrating thing is that I know that the next time I see Tim Cook, he'll be preening himself about how successful today was. And here I am left with the first genuinely angering experience I've had buying Apple stuff. And I've been buying Apple stuff since the PowerBook 100.
i tried many times after keynote, but the site is not ready and i think they were still trying to test it, because every time i pushed to checkout, i got that "Oops" message.
i tried 10 min ago, lots of http 1.1 messages. but got in once and put the order. all i can tell you is that it is much much better than the experiences on ip4.
Edit: The name reminds me of "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who. Meet the old boss. Same as the new boss.
1st attempt got on my iPhone Apple Store App. added iPad and smart cover. Timed out. Started over. Added iPad. Tried to check out. Entered my password. Timed out. Noticed I had 2 iPads in my cart. Tried to delete all. Wouldn't work. Tried to change quantity. Wouldn't work. Ended up with 4 iPads in my cart by the end. Finally able to change quantity to 1. Couldn't check out.
Meanwhile. Kept hitting Chrome refresh. Store kept having post-it note. Hit main screen iPad advert, back-end around into the web store. from there, took about 20 mins of page refresh and re-attempts to get through process.
2 hours total.