by: Jason Mick
Another year, more iPhone issues
Apple had hoped that the launch of its new iPhone -- the iPhone 3G S would go more smoothly this year than it did last year. Last year saw a launch that while successful in sales volume was disastrous in terms of public relations. Last year saw many customers unable to activate their new phones as Apple's servers buckled under the high traffic load. This year early indications on launch morning were that all was going smoothly, thanks in part to an early release of the OS update, allowing customers of the older 3G model to update early in hopes of easing network stress.
However, Apple's networks were yet again shown to be lacking with many users experiencing trouble activating their new phones. Some customers were met with the following message during the activation process.
Your activation requires additional time to complete. Due to the current volumes, it may take up to 48 hours to resolve your issue.
According to customers unable to activate, Apple later sent the following email to them:
Nonetheless, the issues represent another headache for Apple. Kevin Mobley, a software performance expert at The Ian Thomas Group warns that the issues could hurt Apple's brand image. He suggests, "Going forward, as Apple presumably gets deals with other carriers and grows the iPhone user base, they'll have to determine if iTunes is really the best solution for activation."Dear Apple Customer,
Thank you for your recent Apple Store order. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay in your iPhone activation.
We are still resolving the issue that was encountered while activating your iPhone with AT&T. Unfortunately, due to system issues and continued high activation volumes, this could take us up to an additional 48 hours to complete.
On Monday, you'll receive an email from Apple with an iTunes Store credit in the amount of $30. We hope you will enjoy this gift and accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this delay has caused.
Thank you for choosing Apple.
Sincerely,
Apple Online Store Team
