Apple’s new phone already seems too popular for its own good. Since becoming available for pre-order this morning, the iPhone 4 appears to be in such high demand it has all but crashed the online ordering systems of Apple and AT&T.
Like many trying to pre-order the iPhone 4, I was able to get as far as the “check eligibility” stage on Apple’s online store before getting bounced. The screen read “Please wait while we access your AT&T account information”, then delivered a message saying “Your request couldn’t be processed” and instructed me to try again later.
(Update: I was able to reserve an iPhone 4 for in-store pickup using the Apple Store app on my current iPhone.)
Judging by reports on Twitter, thousands of people are encountering similar problems. Apple and AT&T have not replied to requests for comment.
Given that my order timed out while trying to access my AT&T account information, it looks like this is a problem with AT&T’s servers, not Apple’s. Boy Genius Report writes “not only is Apple’s online store buckling under pressure, as is AT&T’s site, but even AT&T’s internal network, the one in stores is having trouble”. Gizmodo is reporting some security breaches during the ordering process.
At Apple stores, too, there are signs of enormous demand, with lines around the block in Tokyo, where no online ordering is available. There were no lines here at the main Apple store here in San Francisco, but dozens of customers trying to pre-order the iPhone 4 on in-store Macs faced the same problems as those using their own computers. Apple employees could not take pre-orders through the store’s internal sales system.
This snafu comes on the heels of last week’s wifi failure at Apple chief executive Steve Jobs’ unveiling of the iPhone 4.
In the long run this is a happy problem for both companies. If pre-orders are any indication of long-term demand, Apple looks set for another strong product launch with the iPhone 4. Silicon Alley Insider is estimating Apple will announce 2m sales of the new phone after the opening weekend.
But for millions of customers already upset with poor AT&T service, the inability to order a new iPhone with supposedly better reception is a bit like rubbing salt in an open wound.
