I have the upgrade plan on two phones. Used the Apple Store app on each and it automatically recognized the upgrade program and I could complete the process in less than 1 minute.
Store opened on 1st phone at 12:03 and on the 2nd phone at 12:06. Apple may have a throttling system to keep servers from crashing.
Pretty smooth painless process and the confirmation email came instantly as well.
*I also got access to the local Sherman Oaks, CA store for the earliest slot of 8:00 am next Friday.
I'm sorry others didn't have it this way. Hope you get what you want.
If I knew Apple's choice of financing for the yearly upgrade program would be a POS to deal with then I wouldn't have even tried. Ended up skipping iPhone upgrade program because financing was not approved and wasted 20 minutes. Now I purchased the phone in full without the upgrade program and instead of Sep 16 delivery, it's Sep 27-29. Thanks, Apple, for your wonderful financing choice that refused to cooperate with a perfect credit score and waste my time at 2:30am-- meanwhile full cash is coming for the iPhone. Pissing me off.
You blamed Apple for not getting approved by thurd party financial institutions? Lol...every finance uses different guidelines and credit bureau, some may have different score than the others up to 40 points...and that will make difference for approval!
East Coast guy here. I have upgraded to every new phone since the original phone.
I waited up to 3AM to find that there is no stock on the iPhone 7 Plus jet black 256gb. In fact, there really wasn't much inventory of any model to be had in the entire D.C. area. I have always been able to order a phone on the first day. I cannot order a new iPhone because I am on the annual replacement program, and I am locked out until the 17th to make an appointment.
In addition, I must go to the store to trade in my phone. Why? Until this model is available in another two months AND I am able to make an appointment to turn in my phone, I may lose interest.
Thanks Apple, for wasting my time. The excitement is gone. How you handle your best customers is dumb. This launch was a disaster.
I was not amazed with the iP7 announcement, but with the T-Mobile trade-in deal, $0 with my 6/16gb, am very pleased to be getting one. My daughter's 5s is acting poorly so she's happy as heck to get it. I guess I'm happiest about getting double the storage but the other new features will obviously be nice. The T-Mobile site was totally jammed up, took nearly 45 minutes to order by phone. iP7 black and rose gold shipping around 9/16.
Not very smooth as it has been. I would get down to the final page on both Apple website and App and I would get "OPPS! something went wrong" Finally got an order in some 20 min of Apple site errors on the App on my phone. 256GB Space Black 7+ , looking like 23rd for delivery date.
I have the upgrade plan on two phones. Used the Apple Store app on each and it automatically recognized the upgrade program and I could complete the process in less than 1 minute.
Store opened on 1st phone at 12:03 and on the 2nd phone at 12:06. Apple may have a throttling system to keep servers from crashing.
Pretty smooth painless process and the confirmation email came instantly as well.
*I also got access to the local Sherman Oaks, CA store for the earliest slot of 8:00 am next Friday.
I'm sorry others didn't have it this way. Hope you get what you want.
Fred, I got on at around 12:07 after refreshing a bunch of times on both my iPad and laptop. I entered my info in manually, so that took a bit of time, and then tried the Santa Monica store before checking around the other local stores in Sherman Oaks. Pickups were pretty limited based on color and memory. It looks like allocations were slim and you just happened to get in earlier than most.
Glad you got your choices, but it would be interesting to know if you picked up either of the black models, the amount of memory and the carrier to figure out how the queue went.
Would have been nice if Schiller said on stage that Jet Black would start out in limited quantities. Clearly that's the case.
ah there it is, you can always find something to bitch about and for a double whammy also blame it on your pretend nemesis, the mustache-twirling Phil Schiller. yes he foiled your plans once more, damn him!
TMO site has slowed to an unusable crawl :-( The servers cannot even deliever the correct content, including iPhone models available for sale. After 3 minute loading of the site's upgrade page apparently TMO only is willing to sale me a Samsung s7 Edge. Lol! Preorder appears to be out of the question for me here in the Bay Area tonight. Lame.
got in at 2:10a on an iPhone via app. jet black, 128gb, delivers 9/16. took ten mins since I had to register with their loan provider for the Apple upgrade program (thought I'd try something new this year). even still my delivery date remains 9/16.
TMO site has slowed to an unusable crawl :-( The servers cannot even deliever the correct content, including iPhone models available for sale. After 3 minute loading of the site's upgrade page apparently TMO only is willing to sale me a Samsung s7 Edge. Lol! Preorder appears to be out of the question for me here in the Bay Area tonight. Lame.
No idea why everyone sounds like a pompous queen 'cause they have a delayed shipment. If you're a true apple fan, you should really expect this. lol I always have the best luck getting it earlier than it comes. Got the Black 7 Plus 256GB. Been a long time Sprint customer and they never cease to impress me. I'm so hyped for this phone, don't even care that it's shipping to me on the 23rd.
What I wanna know is why when I tried to pay full price for iPhone it still would make me wanna select an verzion account info or any carrier info last year you just clicked pay in full or upgrade program and clicked a reservation time but now it's difficult ugh so now I guess I have to start camping to get my iPhone I want
What I wanna know is why when I tried to pay full price for iPhone it still would make me wanna select an verzion account info or any carrier info last year you just clicked pay in full or upgrade program and clicked a reservation time but now it's difficult ugh so now I guess I have to start camping to get my iPhone I want
It seems, though it's downplayed, that the phones aren't universally compatible. So they're likely trying to get a hint which varient you need.
got in at 2:10a on an iPhone via app. jet black, 128gb, delivers 9/16. took ten mins since I had to register with their loan provider for the Apple upgrade program (thought I'd try something new this year). even still my delivery date remains 9/16.
seemed smooth even if late to enter.
Yeah...
We bought our iPhones last year using the Apple Upgrade Program (had to pickup in store)
This year, I was hoping we could upgrade through the online store.
No Luck!
You have to make a reservation to upgrade in a stick and stucco Apple store.
By the time I got through, there were no phones available for pickup in California and 48 other states -- Only New Hampshire.
We have to wait until Sep 17 to make a reservation. 4 different iPhones will be upgraded to 4 new iPhones. Likely, there will be availability problems for various new models -- possibly requiring 4 different reservations and 4 different trips to one or more Apple Stores!
Very frustrating for what should be a rather simple online transaction.
I don't know why they can't handle upgrades online similar to how they handle repair/replacements online:
Charge your CC full price for the new iPhone
Ship the new phone to you
Ship to you you a postage-free box for return of your old iPhone
You ship back the old iPhone
On receipt and analysis by Apple, they debit your CC accordingly.
The other thing...
The way the Apple website is designed for the upgrade program, Apple misses the opportunity to gather useful planning/stocking information.
When you try to make a in-store reservation for upgrade -- it just tells you there is no availability in some (most) states.
Rather, it should let you select a state, a preferred store, a preferred date range -- then an iPhone model (style/color/size). Then, they could allocate stock according to demand -- and even notify you when your desired iPhone was available.
I am surprised that Apple, master of the supply chain, can't manage this better -- not just in manufacturing, but all the way to the customer.
Edit: On further reflection, Apple is totally missing a marketing opportunity for upgrade customers!
They know who has an iPhone on the Apple Upgrade Program and when it's eligible for upgrade.
Say, a month before you're eligible Apple could send you a notification asking if you are considering an upgrade -- and offering to send you a postage free return box for your old iPhone.
Further, they could state that they are allocating stock especially for upgrade customers. So that when new IPhones are announced you will have access to stock and the box to return your old iPhone when the new iPhone arrives (shipped to you).
Lastly, they could include a return label and alert you to save the new box for next year's upgrade.
No fuss, no muss, no bother (an old joke).
iPhone as a service!
You, the annual upgrader, would go from being treated as a second-class citizen -- to being treated as a preferred customer...
TMO site has slowed to an unusable crawl :-( The servers cannot even deliever the correct content, including iPhone models available for sale. After 3 minute loading of the site's upgrade page apparently TMO only is willing to sale me a Samsung s7 Edge. Lol! Preorder appears to be out of the question for me here in the Bay Area tonight. Lame.
Why not order from Apple? Their app works slick.
Because you get it for free if you order through t-Mobile. I only have to pay the tax and $20 activation with my iPhone 6/16gb trade-in.
If I knew Apple's choice of financing for the yearly upgrade program would be a POS to deal with then I wouldn't have even tried. Ended up skipping iPhone upgrade program because financing was not approved and wasted 20 minutes. Now I purchased the phone in full without the upgrade program and instead of Sep 16 delivery, it's Sep 27-29. Thanks, Apple, for your wonderful financing choice that refused to cooperate with a perfect credit score and waste my time at 2:30am-- meanwhile full cash is coming for the iPhone. Pissing me off.
Sorry to hear about this. I had a feeling this was going to happen, so I skipped that. I had asked a question about this in this Forum, and curiously, there was no answer. That was the tip-off.
I was wondering why Phil Schiller sounded like all of three people must have signed up for the yearly upgrade. Now we know why. I cannot understand why they don't allow people to pre-qualify. Very stupid.
I waited until 5:30 EDT to order mine. Web site (on my phone) was a little laggy, but not much. Still completed within about 5 minutes. 7, 128, black. Still delivered on 9/16.
If I knew Apple's choice of financing for the yearly upgrade program would be a POS to deal with then I wouldn't have even tried. Ended up skipping iPhone upgrade program because financing was not approved and wasted 20 minutes. Now I purchased the phone in full without the upgrade program and instead of Sep 16 delivery, it's Sep 27-29. Thanks, Apple, for your wonderful financing choice that refused to cooperate with a perfect credit score and waste my time at 2:30am-- meanwhile full cash is coming for the iPhone. Pissing me off.
You blamed Apple for not getting approved by thurd party financial institutions? Lol...every finance uses different guidelines and credit bureau, some may have different score than the others up to 40 points...and that will make difference for approval!
Fair enough, but what would be the argument against allowing for pre-qualification, especially if Apple wants more people to sign on to the upgrade progress (which is what Schiller seemed to imply)?
Comments
East Coast guy here. I have upgraded to every new phone since the original phone.
I waited up to 3AM to find that there is no stock on the iPhone 7 Plus jet black 256gb. In fact, there really wasn't much inventory of any model to be had in the entire D.C. area. I have always been able to order a phone on the first day. I cannot order a new iPhone because I am on the annual replacement program, and I am locked out until the 17th to make an appointment.
In addition, I must go to the store to trade in my phone. Why? Until this model is available in another two months AND I am able to make an appointment to turn in my phone, I may lose interest.
Thanks Apple, for wasting my time. The excitement is gone. How you handle your best customers is dumb. This launch was a disaster.
Good night.
Finally got an order in some 20 min of Apple site errors on the App on my phone.
256GB Space Black 7+ , looking like 23rd for delivery date.
Now back to bed
Mic burn.
Glad you got your choices, but it would be interesting to know if you picked up either of the black models, the amount of memory and the carrier to figure out how the queue went.
The servers cannot even deliever the correct content, including iPhone models available for sale. After 3 minute loading of the site's upgrade page apparently TMO only is willing to sale me a Samsung s7 Edge. Lol! Preorder appears to be out of the question for me here in the Bay Area tonight. Lame.
seemed smooth even if late to enter.
We bought our iPhones last year using the Apple Upgrade Program (had to pickup in store)
This year, I was hoping we could upgrade through the online store.
No Luck!
You have to make a reservation to upgrade in a stick and stucco Apple store.
By the time I got through, there were no phones available for pickup in California and 48 other states -- Only New Hampshire.
We have to wait until Sep 17 to make a reservation. 4 different iPhones will be upgraded to 4 new iPhones. Likely, there will be availability problems for various new models -- possibly requiring 4 different reservations and 4 different trips to one or more Apple Stores!
Very frustrating for what should be a rather simple online transaction.
I don't know why they can't handle upgrades online similar to how they handle repair/replacements online:
The other thing...
The way the Apple website is designed for the upgrade program, Apple misses the opportunity to gather useful planning/stocking information.
When you try to make a in-store reservation for upgrade -- it just tells you there is no availability in some (most) states.
Rather, it should let you select a state, a preferred store, a preferred date range -- then an iPhone model (style/color/size). Then, they could allocate stock according to demand -- and even notify you when your desired iPhone was available.
I am surprised that Apple, master of the supply chain, can't manage this better -- not just in manufacturing, but all the way to the customer.
Edit: On further reflection, Apple is totally missing a marketing opportunity for upgrade customers!
They know who has an iPhone on the Apple Upgrade Program and when it's eligible for upgrade.
Say, a month before you're eligible Apple could send you a notification asking if you are considering an upgrade -- and offering to send you a postage free return box for your old iPhone.
Further, they could state that they are allocating stock especially for upgrade customers. So that when new IPhones are announced you will have access to stock and the box to return your old iPhone when the new iPhone arrives (shipped to you).
Lastly, they could include a return label and alert you to save the new box for next year's upgrade.
No fuss, no muss, no bother (an old joke).
iPhone as a service!
You, the annual upgrader, would go from being treated as a second-class citizen -- to being treated as a preferred customer...
C'mon Angela, make it happen!
I was wondering why Phil Schiller sounded like all of three people must have signed up for the yearly upgrade. Now we know why. I cannot understand why they don't allow people to pre-qualify. Very stupid.