Apple improves US iPhone 4 shipping times to 5-7 days
Supplies of the iPhone 4, constrained since the device's June launch, have improved slightly, with the handset now advertised for shipping within 5 to 7 days from Apple's online store.
Both models of the iPhone 4 -- in 16GB and 32GB capacities for $199 and $299, respectively, with AT&T contract -- now ship within 5 to 7 business days. The 8GB, $99 iPhone 3GS ships within 1 to 2 weeks, while the white iPhone 4 remains unavailable.
The change in shipping times would imply that Apple has begun to catch up with strong consumer demand for the iPhone 4.
Shipping estimates had remained at three weeks or longer since the handset launched in June. In its first three days of availability, the phone sold a record 1.7 million.
But Apple has struggled to meet demand since launch, as supplies for overseas expansion have been constrained. Last month, the iPhone 4 launched in China, and carrier China Unicom was only able to fulfill about half of the preorders placed by customers.
In a similar fashion, Apple could not meet iPad demand for months after the touchscreen tablet launched in April. It took until late August for the Cupertino, Calif., company to improve online order shipping times to 24 hours.
The white iPhone 4 is still listed as unavailable, and Apple has not provided an update on the status of the device since July, when it said the product would not be available until "later this year." The company has said that the white model proved "more challenging to manufacture than expected."
Both models of the iPhone 4 -- in 16GB and 32GB capacities for $199 and $299, respectively, with AT&T contract -- now ship within 5 to 7 business days. The 8GB, $99 iPhone 3GS ships within 1 to 2 weeks, while the white iPhone 4 remains unavailable.
The change in shipping times would imply that Apple has begun to catch up with strong consumer demand for the iPhone 4.
Shipping estimates had remained at three weeks or longer since the handset launched in June. In its first three days of availability, the phone sold a record 1.7 million.
But Apple has struggled to meet demand since launch, as supplies for overseas expansion have been constrained. Last month, the iPhone 4 launched in China, and carrier China Unicom was only able to fulfill about half of the preorders placed by customers.
In a similar fashion, Apple could not meet iPad demand for months after the touchscreen tablet launched in April. It took until late August for the Cupertino, Calif., company to improve online order shipping times to 24 hours.
The white iPhone 4 is still listed as unavailable, and Apple has not provided an update on the status of the device since July, when it said the product would not be available until "later this year." The company has said that the white model proved "more challenging to manufacture than expected."
Comments
The white iPhone 4 is still listed as unavailable, and Apple has not provided an update on the status of the device since July, when it said the product would not be available until "later this year." The company has said that the white model proved "more challenging to manufacture than expected."
Has anyone ever seen a white iPhone4 live? Do they really exist anywhere outside a lab (or in photoshop)?
Has anyone ever seen a white iPhone4 live? Do they really exist anywhere outside a lab (or in photoshop)?
Mossberg had one- link below. It's a bit confounding that Apple was able to release a review unit in white, yet they remain unable to get the thing out to the public so many months later.
http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20100622...phone4-review/
Mossberg had one- link below. It's a bit confounding that Apple was able to release a review unit in white, yet they remain unable to get the thing out to the public so many months later.
http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20100622...phone4-review/
At this point they can't produce the black ones fast enough. When sales of the black ones slow down, baddabing!, bring on the next rush...
I'm not sure this is what they are doing but they are in the very enviable position of being able to play the market as they like.
I finally got an ip4 today. Had an early appointment with a genius re my iMac and to my surprise they had a few in store. Moi, a very happy camper. My G3 had a seriously damaged back, a cracked screen and couldn't be turned off manually after I left it out in the rain!
Supplies of the iPhone 4, constrained since the device's June launch, have improved slightly, with the handset now advertised for shipping within 5 to 7 days from Apple's online store.
Both models of the iPhone 4 -- in 16GB and 32GB capacities for $199 and $299, respectively, with AT&T contract -- now ship within 5 to 7 business days. The 8GB, $99 iPhone 3GS ships within 1 to 2 weeks, while the white iPhone 4 remains unavailable.
The change in shipping times would imply that Apple has begun to catch up with strong consumer demand for the iPhone 4.
Some naysayer will still post here like someone did on the iPad thread, and say, "Well, this means demand for iPhone 4 is dying down..."
At this point they can't produce the black ones fast enough. When sales of the black ones slow down, baddabing!, bring on the next rush...
I'm not sure this is what they are doing but they are in the very enviable position of being able to play the market as they like.
I finally got an ip4 today. Had an early appointment with a genius re my iMac and to my surprise they had a few in store. Moi, a very happy camper. My G3 had a seriously damaged back, a cracked screen and couldn't be turned off manually after I left it out in the rain!
It does appear suspect. I just can't understand how color alone would pose such a major problem as to halt production.. but who knows. I would imagine some sort of an explanation will surface as the phone does in the next month/s.
I don't know how common the problem is, but I have two friends who have cracked backs on their 4's recently. They didn't have cases, but each said the cracks occurred as a result of a small drop-like a foot.. Anecdotal as it may be, it's something to be aware of.
Has anyone ever seen a white iPhone4 live? Do they really exist anywhere outside a lab (or in photoshop)?
I think Apple will kill it off by the end of the month if it doesn't look like they can ramp up production alongside the black.
Can't imagine what the crazyness is about, maybe if I saw and held one I might "get" it...
Had a white iPhone 3G and most recently white iPhone 3GS. But iPhone 4 is a whole different ballgame, I guess.
It does appear suspect. I just can't understand how color alone would pose such a major problem as to halt production.. but who knows. I would imagine some sort of an explanation will surface as the phone does in the next month/s.
I don't know how common the problem is, but I have two friends who have cracked backs on their 4's recently. They didn't have cases, but each said the cracks occurred as a result of a small drop-like a foot.. Anecdotal as it may be, it's something to be aware of.
Yeah, I prefer no case a I always carry the thing in my jean pockets but I may experiment with a cover this time. Not that a cracked glass or back stops the thing from working. Leaving mine in the rain made it impossible to turn it off and so no re-start, and it also made the remote stop working.
It does appear suspect. I just can't understand how color alone would pose such a major problem as to halt production.. but who knows. I would imagine some sort of an explanation will surface as the phone does in the next month/s.
I don't know how common the problem is, but I have two friends who have cracked backs on their 4's recently. They didn't have cases, but each said the cracks occurred as a result of a small drop-like a foot.. Anecdotal as it may be, it's something to be aware of.
I'm surprised there aren't more reports of cracked iPhone 4s, I suspected that would have been the next "gate" after antennagate... You know, crackgate or glassgate or phonecrackgate or something.
Yeah, I prefer no case a I always carry the thing in my jean pockets but I may experiment with a cover this time. Not that a cracked glass or back stops the thing from working. Leaving mine in the rain made it impossible to turn it off and so no re-start, and it also made the remote stop working.
I like not having a case but my Apple free case (InCase Snap Smoke) is arriving in a week so I'll try it out. I need it for when I put it on a surface, like under my bed on the floor, and when in my pockets when it gets sweaty <---Not as gross as it sounds.
I like not having a case but my Apple free case (InCase Snap Smoke) is arriving in a week so I'll try it out. I need it for when I put it on a surface, like under my bed on the floor, and when in my pockets when it gets sweaty <---Not as gross as it sounds.
... hmmm ... that would depend on which pocket.
I like not having a case but my Apple free case (InCase Snap Smoke) is arriving in a week so I'll try it out. I need it for when I put it on a surface, like under my bed on the floor, and when in my pockets when it gets sweaty <---Not as gross as it sounds.
I missed my free case by 5 days. I'm going to call Apple and appeal as I have been trying to get an 1p4 for many weeks now. I too put my iPhone on the floor under my bed. Its a big sorry mess of a phone!
Some naysayer will still post here like someone did on the iPad thread, and say, "Well, this means demand for iPhone 4 is dying down..."
In my own defense, the article said something like "the iPad shipping wait has been lowered so production quantities must be up." While I suspected the article was right, I don't think it is good to be sloppy with cause and effect. I merely postulated that another possibility could be a slow-down in sales. I wouldn't have brought it up if the article had said at some point something like "there is no indication of slowing sales..."
...and yes, this article has the same problem.
Furthermore, I believe it to be much more possible that iPhone4 sales in the US (where it has been on sale for months) have plateaued. World-wide sales are only going to go up as availability is increased and US sales could be expected to tick up as people shop/gift for the holidays, but I'm just sayin'...
I'm surprised there aren't more reports of cracked iPhone 4s, I suspected that would have been the next "gate" after antennagate... You know, crackgate or glassgate or phonecrackgate or something.
I think Sapporobabyrtns said he dropped and broke the glass back and Apple replaced his phone knowing full well it was his fault.
I like not having a case but my Apple free case (InCase Snap Smoke) is arriving in a week so I'll try it out. I need it for when I put it on a surface, like under my bed on the floor, and when in my pockets when it gets sweaty <---Not as gross as it sounds.
I ordered the same case! About a week before it came, I cracked the front in a small drop onto a relatively soft surface. They replaced it at the Apple store (I know they didn't have too) and you can be sure that I have not taken the case off once since I got it!
I finally got an ip4 today. Had an early appointment with a genius re my iMac and to my surprise they had a few in store. Moi, a very happy camper. My G3 had a seriously damaged back, a cracked screen and couldn't be turned off manually after I left it out in the rain!
Accidents (
I think Sapporobabyrtns said he dropped and broke the glass back and Apple replaced his phone knowing full well it was his fault.
Yeah, I imagine they checked my purchase history Vs. my claim history in the back before giving me the good news. I had so little hope of replacement that I hadn't even backed up my pictures from the last week of vacation. I asked if I could come back the next day to get the replacement and they said "Don't count on it." I didn't!
I missed my free case by 5 days.
So you received yours today? It seems to me the ORDER date is what should count, even if that's not what Apple specifically said. If you ordered before Sept. 30, you should have a good argument for them. Good luck!
I'm going to call Apple and appeal as I have been trying to get an 1p4 for many weeks now.
"1p4"?? How does "iPhone 4" become "1p4"? "1" <> "i".