Apple issues internal high priority alert for iPhone activation server woes
Apple has initiated an internal high priority alert to support staff indicating that activation server problems and other issues are preventing a large number of customers from activating their iPhones.
According to a reliable source, Apple has sent out an internal P1 (high priority) alert notifying employees of server issues that are preventing customers from activating their iPhones, whether the device is brand new or recently restored. Compounding the problem are "other internal issues," though the exact nature of these complications is unknown at this time.
Since iOS 7 launched on Wednesday, Apple's servers have been bombarded with a deluge of users looking to update to the latest operating system, with many finding the activation service unavailable or otherwise unresponsive.
The alert failed to offer the exact number of users affected and did not give an estimate as to how long the activation server would be down.
Apple's System Status webpage shows all services are up and running as of this writing, though AppleInsider has received numerous reports that appear to corroborate the backend problems.
According to a reliable source, Apple has sent out an internal P1 (high priority) alert notifying employees of server issues that are preventing customers from activating their iPhones, whether the device is brand new or recently restored. Compounding the problem are "other internal issues," though the exact nature of these complications is unknown at this time.
Since iOS 7 launched on Wednesday, Apple's servers have been bombarded with a deluge of users looking to update to the latest operating system, with many finding the activation service unavailable or otherwise unresponsive.
The alert failed to offer the exact number of users affected and did not give an estimate as to how long the activation server would be down.
Apple's System Status webpage shows all services are up and running as of this writing, though AppleInsider has received numerous reports that appear to corroborate the backend problems.
Comments
No shit, sherlock. Anyone with an ounce of sense would wait, oh I dunno, maybe ONE DAY before updating, to avoid 99% of the traffic and potential issues? Otherwise, you have no right to complain. No, everyone needs iOS7 THIS SECOND, after waiting for months. You will live if you go another day with iOS6.
A few years ago it was worse - Apple launched the new iOS and the new iPhone on the same day and everything came to a screeching halt. Hopefully this download surge will have subsided a bit by Friday to make room for iPhone 5s/c activations.
I wonder what version of iOS 7 is on the phones since the GM was only released September 10 to developers. They must have some earlier build on those millions of 5c and 5s phones, so they will probably need to update their software as well as activate it.
I would say they are trying to give priority to iOS downloads and/or activations.
How many devices can take the upgrade? Well in excess of 100 million right?
I want to update to iOS 7 just as much as the next guy, and knowing full well that the infrastructrue is simply overloaded (hence my 8th consecutive failure to update both iPhone and iPad) I'm a little frustrated, but it isn't anything of importance.
On the other hand, someone who just purchased a new device and want to activate it might be a little annoyed (and for good reason). Apple should just implement a priority system because, as was said above, we can all live to thrusday (even friday) with iOS 6, but if I had just bougth an iPhone I would want it to work just right away!!!
How many devices can take the upgrade? Well in excess of 100 million right?
But I imagine 90% of those iPhone owners don't even know that iOS 7 was released.
Doesn't the settings app usually show a badge when there is an iOS update? I don't see one on my iPhone 5 but if I go to the software update tab it shows iOS 7 is available. Did Apple perhaps disable the badge so people wouldn't notice?
No shit, sherlock. Anyone with an ounce of sense would wait, oh I dunno, maybe ONE DAY before updating, to avoid 99% of the traffic and potential issues? Otherwise, you have no right to complain. No, everyone needs iOS7 THIS SECOND, after waiting for months. You will live if you go another day with iOS6.
Not in the current pop culture of instant gratification. You should read some of the whining and ranting on the Apple discussions forum. Simply hilarious and a bit scary how some react to situations like this. Imagine what would happen if there were a real shortage of, say, sugar or wheat or some other staple. People would probably commit suicide over it.
Managed to update my iPhone 5 via iTunes ok, had problems with the iPad and ended up doing it successfully OTA, my iPhone 4 software has downloaded but my wife had to leave for work.
I'll take my MacBook to work with the iPhone 5 iOS 7 software already loaded and update anyone who needs it.
In around 23 hours I will be getting a 5S, passing down the 5 to my wife and loading the 4 up with music and plugging it into my car.
I wonder what version of iOS 7 is on the phones since the GM was only released September 10 to developers. They must have some earlier build on those millions of 5c and 5s phones, so they will probably need to update their software as well as activate it.
MR is reporting the latest iOS 7 build is 11A466 version 7.0.1. It was just released to fix bugs on 5c/s phones
I wonder what version of iOS 7 is on the phones since the GM was only released September 10 to developers. They must have some earlier build on those millions of 5c and 5s phones, so they will probably need to update their software as well as activate it.
The GM and final release are the same build. However, the iPhone 5s and 5c will most likely have different build.
But I imagine 90% of those iPhone owners don't even know that iOS 7 was released.
Doesn't the settings app usually show a badge when there is an iOS update? I don't see one on my iPhone 5 but if I go to the software update tab it shows iOS 7 is available. Did Apple perhaps disable the badge so people wouldn't notice?
The badge usually takes a while to show up. In the past, I remember it showing up only when I connect my phone overnight.
I spoke with a support rep at Apple about 20 minutes ago about my activation issues after the iOS 7 update and she said the servers were overloaded - I just now got my phone activated after about 100 tries over the last 4 hours.
Was there any particular reason you needed it today?
I'll wait until the weekend to do this, and not OTA.
That said, what happened to all the fancy NC and NV data centers/server farms that Apple was building? And, when will Apple ever figure out that, with every iteration, their supply of bandwidth -- whether for ordering (except for the iPhone 5C) or for software downloads in the first 24 hours -- quite regularly falls short of demand?
No shit, sherlock. Anyone with an ounce of sense would wait, oh I dunno, maybe ONE DAY before updating, to avoid 99% of the traffic and potential issues? Otherwise, you have no right to complain. No, everyone needs iOS7 THIS SECOND, after waiting for months. You will live if you go another day with iOS6.
Give me a frickin' break, with your condescending crap.
Perhaps Apple should simply figure out a damn way to manage this better.
But I imagine 90% of those iPhone owners don't even know that iOS 7 was released.
Doesn't the settings app usually show a badge when there is an iOS update? I don't see one on my iPhone 5 but if I go to the software update tab it shows iOS 7 is available. Did Apple perhaps disable the badge so people wouldn't notice?
While this may still account for less than 10%, if you do a search on Twitter you can see that A LOT of people including non-techies were/are actually eagerly waiting to install iOS 7 (many thought it would somehow be available at midnight).
I'll wait until the weekend to do this, and not OTA.
That said, what happened to all the fancy NC and NV data centers/server farms that Apple was building? And, when will Apple ever figure out that, with every iteration, their supply of bandwidth -- whether for ordering (except for the iPhone 5C) or for software downloads in the first 24 hours -- quite regularly falls short of demand?
They know but it makes no financial sense to build out tons of infrastructure that is only going to get used to the peak limit one day a year. They could probably do a better job of limiting the number of simultaneous users allowed to download instead of showing an error.