Apple responds to, apologizes for iMac shipment delays
Apple has acknowledged that it is working to fulfill orders for its new 27-inch iMac, though the hardware maker has not officially addressed reports of screen flickering for some users.
While Apple did not respond to claims of hardware issues causing the delays, numerous threads (1, 2, 3) on the Apple support forums have reported screen-related issues on the new 27-inch iMac. A number of users in particular have claimed to experience screen flickering on the hardware.
When reached for comment, Apple offered an apology in a statement Sunday to Jim Dalrymple of CNet:
"The new iMac has been a huge hit and we are working hard to fulfill orders as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience or delay in delivery this may cause our customers."
When it first launched in October, the new iMac was the best-selling desktop machine for the month. The 21.5-inch iMac came in first place, while the 27-inch iMac took third in overall sales. Overall Mac sales in October were up 7 percent, suggesting the company could sell as many as 2.9 million systems for the quarter.
But issues related to the new hardware cropped up in November, as some systems showed up with cracked screens or just did not work. Flash video playback issues were also reported soon after the systems debuted.
This weekend, authorized resellers noted that their 27-inch iMac shipments had been delayed, as reports of screen flickering have grown. The resellers have been notified of delays of around two weeks.
While Apple did not respond to claims of hardware issues causing the delays, numerous threads (1, 2, 3) on the Apple support forums have reported screen-related issues on the new 27-inch iMac. A number of users in particular have claimed to experience screen flickering on the hardware.
When reached for comment, Apple offered an apology in a statement Sunday to Jim Dalrymple of CNet:
"The new iMac has been a huge hit and we are working hard to fulfill orders as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience or delay in delivery this may cause our customers."
When it first launched in October, the new iMac was the best-selling desktop machine for the month. The 21.5-inch iMac came in first place, while the 27-inch iMac took third in overall sales. Overall Mac sales in October were up 7 percent, suggesting the company could sell as many as 2.9 million systems for the quarter.
But issues related to the new hardware cropped up in November, as some systems showed up with cracked screens or just did not work. Flash video playback issues were also reported soon after the systems debuted.
This weekend, authorized resellers noted that their 27-inch iMac shipments had been delayed, as reports of screen flickering have grown. The resellers have been notified of delays of around two weeks.
Comments
The delays are due to the fact Apple and all PC Manufacturers can not get enough HDDs, Especially 500GB & 1TB which the New imac use. There is an industry wide shortage of HDDs.
The 27" iMac's don't offer a 500 GB. Just 1 TB and 2 TB.
The 27" iMac's don't offer a 500 GB. Just 1 TB and 2 TB.
a lot of times they stop building the lower capacity drives and relabel the higher capacity drives and just load it with firmware to only use half the capacity. Microsoft did something like this with the original x-box
Hopefully those of you closer to an Apple store can get yours fixed... my only options are a 1 month return shipment away!
As an example:
White iPhones turn red/pink and overheat
iPhone 3GS overheat
As always its a case of the unsilent minority.
a lot of times they stop building the lower capacity drives and relabel the higher capacity drives and just load it with firmware to only use half the capacity. Microsoft did something like this with the original x-box
Not the case with 500GB and 1TB, 500GB to 320 or 250GB maybe since they are all single platter products, but 1 TB is 2 platters today and they will not waste a platter to make it 500GB.
MS did that since they did not want people to have and 80 or 120GB 2.5 HDD so they had them set to a lower capacity and paid less to hit a price point. In reality all HDD supplier quality sort drives so if it does not yield 120GB they make it 80GB or maybe smaller. What MS was actually getting was the lowest quality HDD since standard sizes at the time was 120GB and 160GB.
However, AI has tried their damnedest to make it seem like the shipment delay is due to the reported problems. AI did say, with very few words, that Apple hasn't acknowledged why, but twisted the meat of the story to fit their guess.
Give me a break. Just say your guessing. One thing my not have anything to do with the other!
I'm not concerned about the shipping delay however do I order the i7 and hope everything is okay or do I go to my local apple store and purchase an i5 and test it right there in the store?
or you order the i7, if there is a problem you take it into the local store for a repair appointment so they can capture the details into their system to send to the folks up in Cupe and if it can't be repaired you return it and get an i5 and open it in the store. Although online says you can't return a custom order at the stores I'm betting if you were polite about the issue they would at least be able to give you a box (assuming the store stock gets the same brown cardboard as the direct orders) and let you print the label there in the store. Retail places like that typically have daily sweeps by UPS, Fed Ex etc to pick up various things and your computer (again if asked in a nice and non abusive way) could be one of them.
something else to remember is the true numbers. many folks that post on sites like this, post on several. so what could appear to be 100 broken machines could in fact be as much as half that due to duplicate posts. Also, how many machines that were just fine have shipped but since there's nothing to gripe about no one has said anything. we have no way of knowing. just like we don't know the condition the machines were in when they left China, how they were handled in route, what damage could have been do to improperly handling, if the graphics card company provided bad firmware etc. Apple doesn't make all the parts, handle the transport etc. yes they do their best to work with reputable folks but they aren't there every second of the day and sometimes people cut corners and get sloppy. But Apple gets the blame and deals with it the best they can to make right what perhaps they didn't make wrong
AI has taken a hugh leap in speculation with this article. There is absolutely no proof that the delay has anything to do with hardware failures. Apple didn't say so, and no one has been told their delay was from faulty parts.
However, AI has tried their damnedest to make it seem like the shipment delay is due to the reported problems. AI did say, with very few words, that Apple hasn't acknowledged why, but twisted the meat of the story to fit their guess.
Give me a break. Just say your guessing. One thing my not have anything to do with the other!
"Huge leap in speculation"? For those who are capable of adding 2 and 2, this is hardly an Agatha Christie murder mystery.
"Apple didn't say so, and no one has been told their delay was from faulty parts." Good lord, how naïve are you? Widespread, major issues have only been reported with 27" iMacs - and incidentally, only those are the ones who happen to be delayed for several months. Or perhaps you didn't find this suspicious at all? I don't know about you, but it's hardly a completely unreasonable assumption to think that Apple is aware of this huge problem and are trying to correct it - using supply shortage as an excuse so they won't have to publicly acknowledge a problem before they've fixed it, and potentially scaring customers away before the holiday season in the process.
Anyone can cite a press release filled with corporate BS, but journalism is about connecting the dots and presenting reasonable assumptions, like AI has done here.
Do drunk monkeys do quality control at Apple? Seriously.
Maybe you should direct your comment at the graphics card vendor instead. Apple doesn't make graphics cards, or the displays.
amazing that they dont apologize for cracked screens, and wonky monitors...way to keep the faith strong Apple!
Apple didn't break the screens, the shipper broke them. What's the big deal? They are covered under warranty and will be fixed. People get their panties in a wad over the stupidest things. Instead of blogging and making videos, take the iMac to Apple for service. Bunch of retarded people.