Following up on our earlier story, it looks like Apple is holding back delivery of the iPhone 3G S units that we pre-ordered over the web, until Friday. This, despite the fact that they’re already in the United States, and many had been scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.
Earlier, several reports came in of disappearing delivery dates from online shipping trackers. That missing date has now been replaced on numerous people’s invoices with the following:
“THE RECEIVER REQUESTED A HOLD FOR A FUTURE DELIVERY DATE. UPS WILL ATTEMPT DELIVERY ON DATE REQUESTED “
Yes, you are the receiver, and no, you probably didn’t request the hold. Instead, this is likely Apple’s way of telling the delivery service not to deliver the package early. Not surprisingly, reports indicate that the “date requested” for delivery is Friday, the official iPhone 3G S launch day.
A lot of people who had pre-ordered were excited to learn their new devices may be here early, but Apple, it seems, is one step ahead. Perhaps if you’re able to track down the UPS warehouse where yours is being held, they’ll let you pick it up early. Let us know if you successfully do that.
At least you can still play with the 3.0 software today and tomorrow, despite earlier rumors that it may be held back too.
[photo: flickr/darin moran] [thanks Gee-Hwan]
Seems that Louisville is the resting point for devices arriving in the Silicon Valley. Mine must be sitting next to yours.
I wonder how many iPhones were on that plane
I’ve got the same tracking info for my phone coming to Seattle:
http://blog.dar...ly-awaiting-his
I heard each one got its own seat!
First class, naturally.
I CAN’T WAIT ANYMORE!
I have been testing everything on the online iPhone demo at http://tiny.cc/onlineiphone and I was expecting to get it tomorrow, but now I have to wait another day.
Thanks for NOTHING Apple!
That’s the way these shipping companies work. They ship to a “hub” and then deliver from there. There is efficiency in that process if you think about it.
Indeed. Louisville is UPS’s central hub. Virtually *all* of UPS’s packages shipped by air go through Louisville. I can remember, while working there after high school, sorting packages going from Juneau, Alaska to Anchorage, Alaska by way of Louisville, Kentucky
Even better, I’m in Juneau. I tracked my order excitedly as it made its way through China and to Anchorage, it looked like it was in the home stretch! And then… instead of the quick jump to Juneau, it’s in Kentucky. So close, yet so far.
Why does Apple care if you get it two days early? That seems pretty standard for preordered merch.
why is this story here? this has absolutely nothin to do with what techcrunch should be covering….
You’re right. Back to Twitter…
Just got a notification that mine has shipped and is due to arrive on June 23rd. WTF Apple?! You promised a June 19th delivery date when I ordered it. That was the deal! What’s with the bait and switch, Apple? Not cool at all!
Ugh, that sucks Eddie.
Mine too, but the UPS site says the 19′th, Could just be because standard shipping for Apple means 5 business days which puts it at the 23′rd. I’m still expecting the 19′th.
Mine still says “prepared for shipment” and haven’t received a shipment email yet. They had 11 days to get these things shipped out, and they damn well better get to me by Friday or there will be mother effin hell to pay!!
i dont know Why Apple is doing all this , i guess Apple is worried that if people get the Iphone 3G S before the actual launch date , there will be more & more reviews on internet and it may affect the sales of Iphone 3G S specially those who have also got an Iphone 3G they wont upgrade.
Watch the Exclusive Unboxing images of Iphone 3G S here :
http://www.dani...nboxing-images/
Are you paid by the numbers of stories you publish ? In this case, fair enough.
i still can not wait it now . testing everyday . but it’s a really a long time to arrival …….expecting.
i wonder if i can social engineer mine earlier.
i’ll call ups now.
“uhh, this is ‘THE RECEIVER’ i take back my request to have it delivered later”
Nice! Mine’s still saying tomorrow but it’s in SHENZHEN, CH oops, now it’s in CHEK LAP KOK,
HK. I’m thinking Monday at the earliest ;’/
Nice! Mine’s still saying tomorrow but it’s in SHENZHEN, CH oops, now it’s in CHEK LAP KOK,
HK. I’m thinking Monday at the earliest ;’/
More signs of Apple’s marketing arrogance. See what I mean here: http://chriskoc...ting-arrogance/
I’m bummed – I ordered on the 12th and shipping status has been “Delivered by June 19th” until this morning when I got the UPS email. Now it says “Delivered by June 23rd”…
Yeah, same here. Too late to cancel now and go pick it up at the Apple store on Friday… frustrating.
I was afraid of this, so I canceled my order after the first shipping update and changed it to a reservation at my local Apple Store in Manhattan Beach. Hopefully the line won’t be too bad.
Sean
I wouldn’t get too upset about the changes in delivery date…IF you pre-ordered through Apple. They guaranteed delivery on the 19th, and I’m sure they are working closely with UPS to be sure it happens. Unfortunately, UPS has a computer system that runs on predetermined averages of delivery time from point to point based on the shipping option selected. That means that your delivery date can say next week sometime because they’ve switched your shipping type in the system so as not to have a date too early show up…but it doesn’t mean your phone will actually be late. Apple will be doing everything in their power to see that phones ordered through them before yesterday arrive on the 19th.
As for phones ordered through AT&T… good luck guys. I’ve never had good luck with AT&T, infact, it was a month long delivery issue on a replacement phone that made me switch to Verizon 4 years ago. If not for the iPhone, I would never have considered going back to AT&T. I’m assuming time has taught them to be better about customer service…but I still made sure to order my phone through Apple. I’ve never had something I ordered through Apple arrive late.
I ordered mine from AT&T and this morning the tracking information says it is “Out for Delivery”
“They guaranteed delivery on the 19th”
Translation: No earlier than the 19th, (hopefully) no later than the 19th.
Glad Apple isn’t breaking their guarantee.
For some reason, UPS now tells me my order is going to be delivered tomorrow, and has removed that onerous delay notification. Has anyone else noticed this?
Mine is saying delivery tomorrow and has had the strange messages removed as well, I called UPS this morning and was assured that these were customs that caused the messages to appear and that I would be receiving the package tomorrow (the 18th). I am crossing my fingers and hoping for that to be the case!!!
Just received this e-mail from Apple :
To Our Valued Apple Customer:
Thank you for your recent order with Apple.
Our records indicate that your iPhone 3G S pre-order has shipped.
Our carrier’s website may have displayed an incorrect delivery
date for your order. However, we expect your iPhone order to be
delivered on time on June 19, 2009
Wouldnt this be illegal, I paid for the phone and now the supplier is holding it back from me. Its not my fault the shipping is faster then they thought. Oh and I’m the receiver and I didn’t send any package back and requesting that it be delivered on a different day. That could be tampering with mail.
It was never going to be in anyone’s hands before Friday. Period. Thinking otherwise, especially already owning an iPhone you know when Apple sets a release date that the date you’ll get the device, if you’re lucky and have pre-ordered early enough. Stop whining.
@iria…the same this has happened to me. mine tracking number earlier had the ominous stuff about the exception delay, etc., but now again has an estimated delivery date of June 18, and nothing about a delivery exception from that. So there’s still hope!
On the downside, it is still in Louisville…but it can still get the overnight plane and the early morning truck. Fingers crossed that they pull a zappos here.
The answer to all of this was posted on Twitter today by @UPS_news:
Per Apple’s request, UPS will be delivering iPhones starting Friday, 06/19. Tracking information will be updated. #iphone
http://twitter....atus/2208898994
None of which explains why, for me anyway, UPS has gone from (1) an early delivery date to (2) an exception to (3) the exception lifted and a 6/19 delivery date to (4) back to an exception to (5) the exception lifted and a 6/18 delivery date to (6) back to an exception again, which is where it is now.
Hey Shame, oh sorry Shane. You sound like the typical run-of-the-mill, rabid Steve Jobs A$$ Kissing apple enforcer drone. No one is “whining” you lemming! We are merely commenting on the fact that apple, sent most of us email stating, that we’d take delivery (of pre orders) by today! They then pulled the ol’ bait n’ switch. Did you get that email, as well, or are you just bitter because your still stuck in contract, and aren’t eligible for upgrade just yet? You know what, don’t answer, who cares Period…
what about international markets? there are countries outside the USA, you know…
Yeah, mine had a delivery date of 6/19. Now that date has disappeared from the UPS tracking, mine is still in anchorage, alaska. What could possibly be the reason that they did this?