Briefly: New Apple Store downtime sign; Lumia 900 free after data glitch

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014


Apple's Online Store was down on Tuesday night and the company took the opportunity to roll out a new "We'll be back" sign. Also, Nokia is now offering a $100 credit on its $99 Lumia 900 flagship smartphone after a software bug affecting data connections was discovered.



We'll be back



The notification page for down time on Apple's online store has changed from the sticky note theme that had been used for years to a linen theme reminiscent of iOS. The wording of the note also underwent some subtle changes.



The older version of the sign read: "We'll be back soon. We are busy updating the store for you and will be back shortly," while the new version reads: "We'll be back. We're busy updating the Apple Store for you and will be back soon."



The cause of Tuesday evening's down time is not yet known. It is most likely a routine update, though some have speculated that it could be related to an expected MacBook Pro refresh.










Top: New "We'll be back" sign; Bottom: Apple's old sign







Lumia bug



After a number of owners of Nokia's new Lumia 900 Windows Phone reported trouble with data connections, the Finnish handset maker has confirmed the software glitch to AllThingsD. Devices with the fix are on their way to AT&T stores and a software update will be available on April 16.



According to Nokia executive Chris Weber, the glitch is caused by a memory-management issue and is not a problem with the hardware or AT&T's network.



To make amends, Nokia told the publication that it will offer a $100 credit to all Lumia 900 buyers. Since the device costs $99 on contract, the company is basically offering the phone for free. The credit is available to any customers who buy the handset before 12 a.m. pacific on April 21.











“The customer always comes first, and I think we’re showing it here,” Weber said.



The Lumia 900 had a quiet launch on Sunday in part because many stores were closed for the Easter holiday. Analyst projections for Lumia 900 sales this quarter vary widely, with one analyst expecting as few as 140,000 sales a quarter.



AT&T has reportedly spent as much as $150 million on the Lumia 900 launch. One preorder promotion from the carrier offered the handset for free.



[ View article on AppleInsider ]

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 61
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Lumia bug



    After a number of owners of Nokia's new Lumia 900 Windows Phone reported trouble with data connections, the Finnish handset maker has confirmed the software glitch to AllThingsD. Devices with the fix are on their way to AT&T stores and a software update will be available on April 16.



    According to Nokia executive Chris Weber, the glitch is caused by a memory-management issue and is not a problem with the hardware or AT&T's network.



    To make amends, Nokia told the publication that it will offer a $100 credit to all Lumia 900 buyers. Since the device costs $99 on contract, the company is basically offering the phone for free. The credit is available to any customers who buy the handset before 12 a.m. pacific on April 21.



    ?The customer always comes first, and I think we?re showing it here,? Weber said.



    The Lumia 900 had a quiet launch on Sunday in part because many stores were closed for the Easter holiday. Analyst projections for Lumia 900 sales this quarter vary widely, with one analyst expecting as few as 140,000 sales a quarter.



    AT&T has reportedly spent as much as $150 million on the Lumia 900 launch. One preorder promotion from the carrier offered the handset for free.



    Beta testing indeed.
  • Reply 2 of 61
    tribalogicaltribalogical Posts: 1,182member
    "Analyst projections for Lumia 900 sales this quarter vary widely, with one analyst expecting as few as 140,000 sales a quarter."



    I wonder if it's right to actually call these "sales", when they're basically giving the product away for free? I mean, first AT&T did a 'get one free' pre-order promo on a NEW product (which I'm sure comprised the bulk of their pre-order "sales"), and now due to a glitch, the product will remain free for another 10 days...



    There will always be plenty of low hanging fruit to "buy" a free, supposedly cutting edge smartphone handset… above that line, there is a significant challenge to this handset's market entry.



    So, is this going to compete with iPhone? Probably not… these Lumia 900 "buyers" were probably not likely to be iPhone customers in the very near future anyway...
  • Reply 3 of 61
    aaronjaaronj Posts: 1,595member
    The store seems back up, and I don't see a change in the MBPs.



    I wonder what they were changing?
  • Reply 4 of 61
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    According to Nokia executive Chris Weber, the glitch is caused by a memory-management issue [...]



    What? Memory management is the responsibility of the OS.

    Sounds fishy to me. Maybe Microsoft is trying to protect Nokia's reputation.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    AT&T has ]reportedly spent as much as $150 million on the Lumia 900 launch. One preorder promotion from the carrier offered the handset for free. [...]

    Analyst projections for Lumia 900 sales this quarter vary widely, with one analyst expecting as few as 140,000 sales a quarter. [...]



    So let's do some quick math here. $150 million on the launch, which should last a few months at most.

    140,000 sales per quarter, presumably including the launch quarter.



    $150,000,000 / 140,000 buyers in launch quarter = $1,071.43 per buyer in launch quarter.



    Sounds like a LOT of money spent per buyer. Especially since the phone is free until April 21.
  • Reply 5 of 61
    zbarskyzbarsky Posts: 19member
    Windows strikes again!
  • Reply 6 of 61
    tcaseytcasey Posts: 199member
    could anyone write a better comedy script.
  • Reply 7 of 61
    feynmanfeynman Posts: 1,087member
    You can't polish a turd now can you?
  • Reply 8 of 61
    jahonenjahonen Posts: 364member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Feynman View Post


    You can't polish a turd now can you?



    Of course you can http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiJ9fy1qSFI...
  • Reply 9 of 61
    umrk_labumrk_lab Posts: 550member
    Sorry, our product is such a crap that we give it to you for free. What ? You don't want it ?
  • Reply 10 of 61
    One "analyst" reckons 140,000 units for the quarter



    Nokia giving $100 back until 21april, with most keen buyers purchasing during launch phase.



    AT&T spending $150million on ad campaign for launch phase.



    As said above, this is not making money.
  • Reply 11 of 61
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zbarsky View Post


    Windows strikes again!



    BPOD: Blue Phone Of Death.
  • Reply 12 of 61
    knightlieknightlie Posts: 282member
    If I were cynical, I'd call this a ploy on Nokias part to a) boost press coverage and b) make a grab for a few more customers who, without even havning any issues with the phone, can apparently get it for free if they purchase before the deadline.



    If I were cynical.
  • Reply 13 of 61
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tcasey View Post


    could anyone write a better comedy script.



    Umm...THIS JUST IN: In anticipation of crashes requiring a cold restart, Nokia has made blue the standard color of their new phones.



    The new Nokia Lumia 900 is reported to randomly scream, "Developers" in a crazed male voice. This is particularly disconcerting late at night. According to Nokia executive Chris Weber, the glitch is caused by a Microsoft-management issue.
  • Reply 14 of 61
    markbyrnmarkbyrn Posts: 661member
    So much for the hubris of Nokia/Microsoft in calling out iPhone and Android devices as betas and now they're reduced to giving away their beta hero phone. Keep in mind Windows honks, there is no free lunch; it’s a two year contract on AT&T.
  • Reply 15 of 61
    shaun, ukshaun, uk Posts: 1,050member
    Launching their premier phone on Easter Sunday. What were they thinking. Either they're very stupid or they wanted a quiet launch coz even they don't think it will sell that well.
  • Reply 16 of 61
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Test, re-test, over and over and over, then do a broader deployed test with Enterprise clients under NDA if you have to, but don't set it out with a big splash when such basic functionality results in a bug that hits you in the wallet and results in free phones.



    Management and quality control heads should roll.
  • Reply 17 of 61
    What is it about these companies that make them feel compelled to give away their products for free?
  • Reply 18 of 61
    djkikromedjkikrome Posts: 189member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by knightlie View Post


    ?a ploy on Nokias part to a) boost press coverage and b) make a grab for a few more customers who, without even havning any issues with the phone, can apparently get it for free if they purchase before the deadline.



    Exactly my thoughts. It's a push to get more people to pick up the phone and help boost their Quarter Sales numbers. I'd love to see this in the media with those beta ads knocking the phones that truly WORKED on launch. ;-)
  • Reply 19 of 61
    d-ranged-range Posts: 396member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AaronJ View Post


    The store seems back up, and I don't see a change in the MBPs.



    I wonder what they were changing?



    Probably they just updated some parts of their site back-end in preparation for new stuff coming later this month. I've seen the 'we'll be back' thing without any product updates on multiple occasions, just before the site got a big update.
  • Reply 20 of 61
    jfanningjfanning Posts: 3,398member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post


    Beta testing indeed.



    So what do you call all the reported WiFi and 3G issues associated with the new iPad then?
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