iPhone 3Gs Pre-Order Shipments Being Delayed by Apple?

I have been gleefully checking the UPS tracking number on my pre-ordered iPhone 3Gs as it heads stateside from Shenzhen China into my loving hands. Although Apple had promised that the device would be here by the 19th (the same day as everyone else will be waiting in line to purchase theirs or receive their reserved pre-orders), the tracking number has been telling me that my iPhone was due to arrive a day early. Similar reports have been posted stating that many of those who were able to pre-order on the first day were also led to believe they would have their hands on the devices 1-2 days earlier than the actual release date. A recent check on my tracking number shows that either someone is impersonating me and has asked to delay the shipment or Apple is purposefully delaying shipments so they do not arrive any sooner than the 19th. Why would Apple go through all this trouble? I am not quite sure, but I wish my expectations were not set on “early arrival” by UPS early this week. The status currently says “THE RECEIVER REQUESTED A HOLD FOR A FUTURE DELIVERY DATE. UPS WILL ATTEMPT DELIVERY ON DATE REQUESTED”. I am the “receiver” no?

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Tags: Apple Notebooks, iPhone, iPhone 3GS

Comments

Matt

They did the same thing to me and NOW its slated to arrive on 6/22 due to 'reciever requested a hold for a future delivery date'. I don't know why I bothered actually buying something online when I could've opted to pick it up at a local store at 7am. Apple is proving that their service sucks, as always.

Felix

My UPS tracking page no longer shows an ETA.

I suspect Apple had them shipped out of China early to get the units into the US, and avert any possible delays. It's also likely that they wanted to ship them early to try to reduce the number of last-minute cancellations ...

I wouldn't expect the phone to arrive before Friday.

Niecee

Hmm..guess camping out wouldn't be a lost cause now.

Adam Helweh

This is for pre-orders. I believe in store units will be another story. Camping out might not be a bad idea if you really want to get one on the first day.

Craig

My phone, ordered Monday on the Apple site, shipped this morning from Memphis via FedEx - making me think FedEx is responsible for the dispatch of the unit since they are HQ'd there.

Mike

Ordered my iphone last week, now on backorder. Does anybody else think that's crap? I agree with an above poster, why buy it online and get hosed out of getting it on time? Now who knows when I'll be getting mine. I think it's garbage that stores were even given an allotment of phones to sell to those who didn't preorder, why should I take the time to reserve mine when all you have to do is just show up morning.

Bass Ackwards

Mines been backordered as well. It's especially frustrating as I just called the store, and they have bunches in stock and no line whatsoever. But I can't cancel my preorder because it's "processing.". So now I have to wait 7-14 days to get a phone that's just sitting in the store down the street. I should have just relaxed and ignored all the hype that led me to preorder, mostly my fault (though I still think they should be able to cancel an order if it's a product they don't even have in stock!!)

Xavier

That's really unfortunate. Sorry to hear about your shipping delay. It's not your fault at all- seems like Apple should be able to let you pick it up at the store.

Bob

I pre-ordered mine on the 18th after AT&T extended the preferred pricing to certain current AT&T subscribers. I was told it would ship the next day (i.e., the 19th). Because the 19th was a Friday, I assumed second-day shipping would get it to me Tuesday, which came and went with no delivery. Today (Wednesday, the 24th), I checked the AT&T order update site and it said it was back ordered. Just now, I checked again and it's listed as "in progress," with a tracking number. The FedEx site lists it as scheduled for delivery tomorrow before 3:00. Fingers crossed!

I'm pleased that AT&T saw fit to ship it overnight, given the delays. It would have been nicer to have them update me rather than my having to hunt down the status myself. But all's well that ends well, I guess.