Apple online store goes down in preparation of iPhone X preorders

Posted:
in iPhone edited October 2017
As has become tradition, Apple on Thursday took its online store offline as the company prepares for an inevitable crush of iPhone X preorders, scheduled to go live a minute after midnight on Friday, Pacific time.




Apple's online store is down for maintenance ahead of the big day. As usual, the website now displays the familiar "We'll be back" message accomplished in the company's bespoke San Francisco font.

The iPhone X represents the first true iPhone redesign in three years, boasting an edge-to-edge 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED display, TrueDepth camera, A11 Bionic chip, upgraded cameras and more. Highlighting the feature list is the depth-sensing TrueDepth camera system, which powers Face ID face-based authentication, Animoji animated emoji characters and Portrait photography capabilities.

Inside, a new A11 Bionic processor incorporates two high performance cores to deliver speeds Apple claims are 25 percent faster than last year's A10. Four high-efficiency cores help save energy when running less processor intensive apps. For the first time, Apple is integrating an in house-designed GPU into its mobile processor that is said to deliver a 30 percent speed boost over previous silicon, helpful in crunching numbers for augmented reality apps.

The A11 Bionic was custom designed for iPhone X, as the chip's dual-core neural engine chews through machine learning tasks required to facilitate features like Face ID.

In terms of finishes, Apple is keeping it simple this year. The 5.8-inch iPhone X is available in two colors -- silver and Space Gray -- and two storage configurations. A 64 GB version retails for $999, while the more capacious 256 GB option sells for $1,149.

As can be expected, demand for the device is high. Rumors from Apple's supply chain suggest an initial stock shortage, with some estimates tallying only 2 to 3 million units available at launch. For comparison, Apple sold more than 10 million iPhone 6 series devices in three days.

Customers looking to get an iPhone X launch day need to be quick on the draw once preorders go live tonight. To help prospective buyers get a leg up on competition, AppleInsider created a preorder guide that offers tips and tricks for scoring your very own copy.

Apple is expected to bring its store back online at 12:01 a.m. Pacific, 3:01 a.m. Eastern, when the company activates its iPhone X preorder system.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 51
    And the countdown begins...
    magman1979jahblade
  • Reply 2 of 51
    linkmanlinkman Posts: 1,046member
    Apple needs to get its act out of the 1990s on this. There is no need to disable the entire store to update a product line (or perhaps just a few models in this case). 
  • Reply 3 of 51
    linkman said:
    Apple needs to get its act out of the 1990s on this. There is no need to disable the entire store to update a product line (or perhaps just a few models in this case). 
    Honestly here....Just curious how this actually affects you?
    Please elaborate on your specific pain points and discomforts?

    OBVIOUSLY,
    this has absolutely zero affect to Apple, or they would not do it every single time !
    napoleon_phoneapartJFC_PAronnboltsfan17magman1979pscooter63patchythepiratejahbladejony0
  • Reply 4 of 51
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,146member
    Anyone taking book on how long it takes to sell out Nov 3 deliveries? Make the o/u 2 minutes. Where you place your bet?
    anantksundaram
  • Reply 5 of 51
    JFC_PAJFC_PA Posts: 947member
    eightzero said:
    Anyone taking book on how long it takes to sell out Nov 3 deliveries? Make the o/u 2 minutes. Where you place your bet?
    Given likely server traffic delays? 5 minutes. 

    Otoh given I don’t hate my 7 Plus, meh. 
    edited October 2017 anantksundaram
  • Reply 6 of 51
    Maybe I’m late to the game, but anyone else notice in the Apple Store App if you touch the Apple right above the “We’ve got something special in store for you”, the Apple will move around on the screen with your finger? Things you find out while the clock slowly counts down...
    pscooter63anantksundarampatchythepirateequality72521jony0
  • Reply 7 of 51
    Maybe I’m late to the game, but anyone else notice in the Apple Store App if you touch the Apple right above the “We’ve got something special in store for you”, the Apple will move around on the screen with your finger? Things you find out while the clock slowly counts down...
    That’s cool. 

    Triple tapping the Apple actives the Sketch Pad Easter egg. Wait a minute...
  • Reply 8 of 51
    ronnronn Posts: 685member
    Looks like I have to wait till 2018. I'm too old and tired to stay up. Yawning, nodding off. Good luck to all you brave souls out there.
  • Reply 9 of 51
    JFC_PAJFC_PA Posts: 947member
    ronn said:
    Looks like I have to wait till 2018. I'm too old and tired to stay up. Yawning, nodding off. Good luck to all you brave souls out there.
    If you were a true fan you’d move to California to gain the three hours. Just sayin 😎
    calianantksundaramronn
  • Reply 10 of 51
    JFC_PAJFC_PA Posts: 947member
    Then again that messes with future upgrade cycles. 
  • Reply 11 of 51
    darkpawdarkpaw Posts: 212member
    linkman said:
    Apple needs to get its act out of the 1990s on this. There is no need to disable the entire store to update a product line (or perhaps just a few models in this case). 
    Honestly here....Just curious how this actually affects you?
    Please elaborate on your specific pain points and discomforts?

    OBVIOUSLY,
    this has absolutely zero affect to Apple, or they would not do it every single time !

    I don't think he's saying it's about Apple's arrogance in this; it's more that there's no need to do it, and it stops people who have zero interest in the new product(s) from finding information on their other products.

    I wanted to take a quick look at the cases that will be available before I place an order, and now I can't do that because the entire shop part of the site is inaccessible. You can't even find the price of the new iPhone X.

    Fingers crossed Apple are taking this as an opportunity to adjust their pricing for UK customers, given that the exchange rate isn't as bad as it was last year, and whacked up the price of everything by 25%.
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 12 of 51
    Maybe I’m late to the game, but anyone else notice in the Apple Store App if you touch the Apple right above the “We’ve got something special in store for you”, the Apple will move around on the screen with your finger? Things you find out while the clock slowly counts down...
    Damn! That's cool. It even has a nice little bounce before it settles in!

    Or, maybe I need to get a life....
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 13 of 51

    eightzero said:
    Anyone taking book on how long it takes to sell out Nov 3 deliveries? Make the o/u 2 minutes. Where you place your bet?
    On the 256, yes, 2 minutes.

    The 64? Half an hour..
  • Reply 14 of 51
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Verizon preorder live. Just ordered and will get 11/3 delivery. 
  • Reply 15 of 51
    I don't know why this was so easy, but I just bought the 256 space grey on AT&T at 11:55.  It put me in a queue and let me complete the order.  Says I'll get it on 11/3.  Sweet if that actually comes through!  And I thought I'd be hitting refresh for the next 30 minutes.  Whew!
  • Reply 16 of 51
    (3:03AM) Apple Store not open yet... on any of three devices... ATT says 18 minute wait.

    (3:06AM) C'mon Apple... what's going on on!?

    (3:13) Got in via web. Neither iPad nor iPhone Store open yet for me. 2-3 week wait for Silver 256GB. Apple can't reach ATT to confirm eligibility, but will send me an email within 24hours. :-/
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 17 of 51
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    rattlhed said:
    I don't know why this was so easy, but I just bought the 256 space grey on AT&T at 11:55.  It put me in a queue and let me complete the order.  Says I'll get it on 11/3.  Sweet if that actually comes through!  And I thought I'd be hitting refresh for the next 30 minutes.  Whew!
    No kidding! I just happened to hit refresh on Verizon page for the heck of it and orders were live. I got my order in like at 11:53pm. Verizon says 11/3 so I am pretty sure I'll get it. They've always been reliable in the past. 
  • Reply 18 of 51
    Please tell me I’m not the only one for whom the Apple store is not yet open.

    Update: Apple Store app went live for me at 3:08-3:09, completed my order in about 4 seconds, getting my X 11/3 :) :) :) 
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 19 of 51
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    (3:03AM) Apple Store not open yet... on any of three devices... ATT says 18 minute wait.

    (3:06AM) C'mon Apple... what's going on on!?
    That's weird. Even though I ordered from Verizon Apple Store came up first on website before app for me. As of 12:08, still showing 11/3 delivery.
  • Reply 20 of 51
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    No go here for me with the site or app. 
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