Waiting days in the blistering sun for a phone that more level-headed folks (that is, not us) will be able to get by simply waltzing into a store a few days later just isn't what it used to be, is it? As iPhones make the inevitable transition from wildly-anticipated objects of lust to commodities, it seems that Apple's putting progressively less effort into carefully orchestrating and micro-managing launches -- and if you want solid proof of that, look no further than the
shipping tracking numbers coming off of the online Apple Store's order status site where you'll find that some
iPhone 3G S units should be in buyers' hands tomorrow. If you're counting, that'd be a full two days before the official release of this Friday -- and while we suppose the company could have some agreement in place with its carriers to hold onto the units until the official release, we're not giving UPS that much credit.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: It seems that many, if not all, of the individuals with tracking numbers leading to phones already stateside are now seeing the following status update on their packages: "THE RECEIVER REQUESTED A HOLD FOR A FUTURE DELIVERY DATE. UPS WILL ATTEMPT DELIVERY ON DATE REQUESTED." In other words, Apple's having these guys queue up the phones until they give the word, presumably not until Friday. Maybe some distribution centers with loose reputations might let you run down there and pick 'em up, though? Worth a shot, right?
posted Jun 16th 2009 2:33PM
Not actually true, there is a delivery block/hold on these and they will arrive on the 19th.
UPS won't do that. It costs them a lot of money to have to store packages instead of delivering them immediately. And some users have already reported receiving their phones.
That said, I doubt most of the people that say they are getting their phones tomorrow. My tracking number says that, but it also says that it was in Hong Kong this morning. Somehow I doubt it goes from China to a delivery truck on the east coast of the US in under 24 hours. I think a lot of these delivery estimates will be updated tomorrow.
Looks like the info that I got first was correct. Lots of folks reporting holds now-
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/17/apple-tells-ups-to-stop-overachieving-puts-brakes-on-early-ipho/
I wrote out this big long post and it got eaten... oh, well. I have had fairly direct exposure to a "Sender/receiever has requested a hold for specific delivery date", but on this scale it seems not as likely. Funny how with all those folks claiming to have received that I have yet to see pics/vids in the wild... I suspect most will arrive Friday aside froma small bunch of Thursday arrivals.
Getting conflicting info re: holds from UPS sources. Oh, well...
Where can i preorder one online and get it in my home?
The only place you can order it online and have it delivered to your home is the Apple Online Store, I'm pretty sure. If you order it from AT&T they'll only ship it to the corporate store of your choosing to be picked up in the morning on the 19th.
I don't believe that many people have pre-ordered that many 3G S's. I mean I thought that almost everyone had a iPhone before 3G S was announced and it feels like everyone is upgrading to the 3G S! Am I the only one who thinks 3G S is not that great to upgrade to if you have a 3G? Or is it cause I have one and I don't want to upgrade till its an actual upgrade, not just video and HSDPA 7.2 that AT&T's network can't even handle let alone the amount of 3G drop zones!
@Bimmer Boy - I'm like you. I don't consider this an upgrade if all you're getting are bumps in hardware and abilities to do things that jailbroken phones can already do.
I guess you have to weigh what twice the RAM and effective processor power is worth to you.
Actually if you think about it, computer companies such as Dell and HP, smack a faster processor, a larger hard drive, and maybe a better graphics card in their PCs or laptops and keep the same windows os on them and call it an upgrade. Apple has done basically the same thing. Its "upgraded" its processor, "upgraded" its hard drive and "upgraded" its graphics. So, technically it is an upgrade.
im happy with 3.0 on my iPhone 3G
That's what I'm talking about... Can't wait till tomorrow! Hoping it will add video with 3.0 but if not meh...
You know I got one of these too, and I was thinking the same as many others. How does a delivery get from Hong Kong to East coast in such a short amount of time. It's honestly a conceivable notion to believe. Keep in mind that Hong Kong is ahead of us time wise. When I received my email at 2AM (approx) EST it was 12PM in Hong Kong. In technicality, they are going backwards across time if they fly west. I would fly east and hit the west coast, but perhaps the early deliveries are on a plane stopping across Europe, and then making a final landing in US on the east coast.
Something else to note, UPS delivery is the 17th, estimated date by Apple was 19th, and when looking at the email updating me about shipment from Apple, it says Delivers By: Jun 22, 2009. So I honestly have no idea what to think, but I would be pretty excited if it shows up tomorrow!
Mine is showing a delivery date of the 17th as well, but I'm willing to bet US Customs will throw a wrinkle in the timing of things. I'd love to have it tomorrow but I'm not holding my breathe.
I got my shipping confirmation last night. It first said schedule deliver was 6/17 and was set for ontime delivery. However, it has now updated to 6/18. I suspect it will again update for a 6/19 delivery date. My confirmation email also said to be delivered by 6/22 so who knows. Hopefully it will come in the mail at least by 6/19 or I should have reserved for in store pick up.
I'm waiting to see the UPS page update because at the moment I do not have a scheduled delivery date. The tracking has updated however, and the package has now been scanned in Alaska. So these have officially hit the US soil. I will update if this changes to anything else more solid. As I said, I'd be excited if it showed up, but I'm not placing any bets just yet.
Mine hit Alaska as well. However, called UPS they said on time for delivery before 10:30 a.m. on 6/19! So Apple has it figured out, assuming all goes well. Problem is sold 3G so using 2G dumb phone and going through withdrawals.
My 3GS is also in alaska, hopefully on a red eye Str8 to Miami!!!!!
My phone, in Alaska, just departed . . .
Here is what I wrote at another site:
The plot thickens. After mine shipped it stated 6/17 for delivery. I knew that was impossible.
Later after it was in Hong Kong it showed 6/18. I felt that was more plausible, especially after I saw that later in the day it was in Anchorage. I was hopeful. Even later it showed it left Anchorage!
Now UPS has an exception (see below). It says the receiver requested a hold on delivery. I did not! I called UPS and they said it might have something to do with customs as they clear in Kentucky, not Anchorage.
I told her an alternate view. One where Apple is throwing its' weight around and telling UPS to hold all the iPhones until 6/19. She agreed that that is possible since Apple does so much business with UPS. So we will probably never know the real story.
Since I can post an image, here is the text from the UPS tracking:
Package Progress
Location Date Local Time Description
LOUISVILLE,
KY, US 06/17/2009 2:03 A.M. THE RECEIVER REQUESTED A HOLD FOR A FUTURE DELIVERY DATE. UPS WILL ATTEMPT DELIVERY ON DATE REQUESTED
ANCHORAGE,
AK, US 06/16/2009 6:52 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
06/16/2009 1:48 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
CHEK LAP KOK,
HK 06/16/2009 11:14 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN
06/16/2009 7:49 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
SHENZHEN,
CN 06/16/2009 1:15 A.M. ORIGIN SCAN
CN 06/16/2009 1:18 A.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED
Tracking results provided by UPS: 06/17/2009 2:05 A.M. ET
Latest update. Now the delivery date says 6/18 again. There is also another line on the status, here in straight text:
LOUISVILLE,
KY, US 06/17/2009 2:06 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
I'm going to bed..
Like everyone else I wondered how I, as the receiver they mentioned, placed a hold on my iPhone. When I called UPS, the lady told me Apple is restricting delivery of all iPhones until the official rollout on Friday. Seems like someone at UPS knows whats going on and telling the truth.
My order place with apple.com on Jun 10, 2009 at 10:55 AM PDT still show Prepared for Shipment and Ships: Delivers by June 19th.
But seems some people get tracking info already. Is my order being hold?
Please share your order status
Where did you place your pre-order? ATT or Apple
When did you place the order?
What is the Status?
What carrier are they using?