Update: Store Back Online (1:00AM PST)
The store is back up and online, with a laundry list of new products including:
UPDATE - None of these have been updated. False alarm.
Apple’s online store just went down, a definitive sign that they will be launching a new product overnight. It could be the iPhone App Store, which will launch sometime this week (developers had to submit their apps by noon today to be considered for the launch), or it could be a rumored new Macbook/Macbook Pro product.
Apple loves to launch products on Tuesdays. Expect whatever it is to go up around midnight PST. Our guess is this is not the new App Store, because there’s no obvious reason to take the store down to launch new software. A new computer? Definitely.
Or my cousin is managing the site? (what does this go to???)
Maybe they’ve hired too many of twitter’s ex system engineers?
I’ve never been entirely sure why Apple takes down the entire store before product launches. It seems like they could just flip the switch and change versions, while canceling any shopping carts or orders in progress.
They are changing the top menu color from #c0c0c0 to #d0d0d0
This is one of the most entertaining and “useful” Apple store down posts I’ve seen, even though I think these types of posts belong on something like TUAW more than TechCrunch…
@Will
Well, it sure does seem to get them quite the press in the blogosphere, doesn’t it?
I now plan on checking apple.com when I wake up in the morning.
meanwhile, i turned in my piece of crap Macbook Air at the palo alto apple store today so they can try to fix the wifi. the only place wifi works is inside the apple store, of course, so they can’t duplicate the problem. ridiculous.
The Windows ME server finally went down
Mobile me.
somebody email me what it is. i’m going to rest my eyes. it’s almost 1 in toronto
Might be just maintenance and nothing else.. Why not wait for some more time before confirming that a new apple store is going to open?
Twitter.. Apple.. Everything going offline today!
What if you ordered a new computer today (me)? If they lower prices and/or change, clearly I want the new system…how does this work!
I’m slightly peeved!
Hollywood suspense…just like a pixar movie. Though I’m curious if microsoft or sony had used a similar tactic would people be having the same conversations?
@Michael My Mac Air’s wifi is fine but the keyboard illumination acts likes an 80’s disco - of course it works fine at our apple store
When it comes back up I bet it will be a picture Bill Gates standing next to Ashton Kutcher, letting us know that Microsoft secretly runs Apple and that we have all been punked.
srsly. The anticipation is driving me crazy.
exasperated by rampant coverage of apple store downtime but then find myself clicking refresh every 5 minutes. d’oh.
that was my tweet, but twitter is scheduled for downtime. what to do…
“It could be the iPhone App Store … or it could be a rumored new Macbook/Macbook Pro product.”
Or it could be, you know, server maintenance. Nice non-story.
Dumbass Mactards. It’s a news even if Jobs farts one.
@Rajiv Singh - Go answer your door. It’s the end of you.
Highly likely to be the App Store.
eepgonewild , your comment made me burst out laughing!
Could it be MobileMe retail boxes, or were those already available?
Guess I shouldn’t have ordered a new MacBook Pro today. It’s a CTO too, 2.6Ghz, 4gbs of ram 7200RPM HD.
Sigh.
Unlikely to be a new MacBook. The whole world’s attention is on iPhone now, not wise for Apple to launch MacBook refresh to steal the lime light.
Has to be iPhone related…. but why take down the store. At least sell the products that are still available. kinda of odd.
Definitely Mobile Me but I’m hoping for new MacBook in aluminum or redesigned MacBook Pro with an Air style keyboard.
Come on app store!!!!
But I sorta doubt it…
It’s bugging me that the img width tag on the ‘we’ll be back soon’ gif is calling the graphic at the wrong size and crunching it. Im sure they know this yet they do nothing!!! Damn you Jobs!
nothing yet.. i’m waiting, it’s almost 3!!
Did it launch? http://www.apple.com/webapps
could it be blu-ray for an option for all mac’s?
yep the app store is open
It’s back and I don’t see anything new…
Anyone know what they did?
Nothing new….
As soon as I said that, it went down again.
It’s back up again now. Let’s see if it stays that way.
I don’t see anything new.. still looking….
Apple Store back up:
http://store.apple.com/us?mco=MTAwMDA
is the app store open? I can not find it on itunes or the apple store.
Updated iMacs?
Can this be done online!!! the software updates??
ya, the story update is incorrect. there were no new updates to imacs or macbooks or the shuffle. and I believe the iPhone 3G and mobileme were there before.
Good to see Arn on TechCrunch.
MacRumors. W00t.
I feel n3rdy.
Does anyone know if Apple or AT&T will honor corporate/FAN discounts for the new iPhone? Just curious. Thanks.
As Arn says above, pretty sure none of that stuff is new. Some of the info on the iPhone 3G page may be new and perhaps some stuff on the MobileMe page, other than that, it’s all old stuff. The “New To The Store” section is more of a rolling list that’s now several months old towards the bottom.
http://venturebeat.com/2008/07.....ng-newyet/
Can’t see what they’ve done to the iMacs?
The top-end one, with the full 4Gigs of RAM, is exactly the same spec SKU I bought last month.
I think they are updating the Mini. Previously we got 1.6Ghz, now there are two options for 1.83Ghz (Combo) and 2.0Ghz (Super Drive).
HUH? This article definitively says in the title that new things are at the Apple Store.
Then bullet lists even more.
Then in tiny print says nothing has been updated.
So basically the sole purpose was get to people here on a false premise and hope they click on ads, right?
is this TUAW or techcrunch? lame…waste of a post…
Professional iPhone 3G video Converter has new released for the new iPhone 3G.