Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

U.S. Carriers Still Struggling to Meet iPhone 4S Demand

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
69,417
40,463



iphone_4s_1_2_weeks.jpg



The Wall Street Journal reports on continuing shortages of the iPhone 4S at U.S. carriers, more than a month after the device went on sale. Carriers indicate that the shortages are due to very strong customer demand rather than any shortfall in Apple's production.
Verizon Wireless customers may have to wait more than three weeks for the device, according to the carrier's website. That compares with as much as 21 days at AT&T and up to 14 days at Sprint Nextel. While some tech blogs have suggested Apple's manufacturing isn't keeping pace, the carriers point to unexpectedly strong demand for the handset.

"We are having some supply issues in the sense that demand's huge," AT&T's president of emerging devices, Glenn Lurie, said Wednesday. "We have had just record-breaking sales on it."
Click to expand...
Apple typically prioritizes its own distribution channels in the face of tight supplies, but even its online store is citing shipping estimates of 1-2 weeks on iPhone 4S orders, while its retail stores are utilizing a reservation system to manage the tight supplies. Through the system, customers are able to reserve iPhone 4S units each night from the available stock at their local store, stopping by the following day to make their purchase. Any unreserved stock is then made available for walk-in purchase, although even reservation customers have been having some difficulty finding availability of the popular device.

Apple sold a record-setting four million iPhone 4S units in its opening weekend, and the company is confident that it will see record sales for the iPhone during the current quarter. In addition to the strong sales in its launch markets, Apple has also been pursuing an aggressive international rollout for the iPhone 4S. With two new rounds of international launches having occurred since the original seven-country debut on October 14th, the iPhone 4S is now available in 44 countries around the world.

Article Link: U.S. Carriers Still Struggling to Meet iPhone 4S Demand
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/11/17/u-s-carriers-still-struggling-to-meet-iphone-4s-demand/
I figured that this would happen, especially since Sprint was added. Back when we only had AT&T, things were a lot better. One month later, its still hard to get an iPhone in retail stores without pre-ordering.
 
This should put to rest any doubts about sustained demand. Nothing's changed. Insane demand for the iPhone hasn't abated at all in over three years. And Apple hasn't exactly been pushing the absolute boundaries in terms of raw specs. Hell, the 3GS outsold every Android smartphone in Q3.

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/npd_iphone_3gs_outsold_every_android_smartphone_in_q3/

It's all about the software. Without that as perfect as possible the device is just an agglomeration of parts.
 
Last edited:
nfl46 said:
I figured that this would happen, especially since Sprint was added. Back when we only had AT&T, things were a lot better. One month later, its still hard to get an iPhone in retail stores without pre-ordering.
Click to expand...

I'm feeling like I should've reserved at a store, but then again I don't really need it right this second. Oh, who am I kidding? I do. :eek:

Impressive performance for Apple, nice launch.
 
I'm feeling that this press release/story is perfectly timed with today's release of the Nexus Prime. Coincidence. Um no.
 
Our experiences...

We ordered three phones on November 11th (from an AT&T store). My wife and mother's black 32GB iPhone 4s's arrived yesterday, while my 64GB black is on backorder, with no estimated date.

Nevertheless, I'm glad I gave a commissioned sale to the really helpful AT&T guy. I can wait... my 3GS is still cranking along.
 
samcraig said:
I'm feeling that this press release/story is perfectly timed with today's release of the Nexus Prime. Coincidence. Um no.
Click to expand...

They will wait until Black Friday to talk about their Black Friday price drops of items and will probably include "The iPhone demand is amazing. We've sold 6 millions iPhones since the October launch."
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

I ordered a white 16gb 4s from at&t's website on Sunday. Shipped on Tuesday and arrived Wednesday.
 
Three weeks wait at Verizon doesn't sound correct unless something has dramatically changed in the last two weeks. I ordered my 16GB black 4S on November 2 and was promised that the phone would be shipped from Verizon by November 11th. I actually had the phone in my hands from FedEx on November 7th... less than 1 week after ordering it. BTW, what a great upgrade from my Droid Incredible (except for the loss of the SwiftKey keyboard).
 
MacRumors said:
Carriers indicate that the shortages are due to very strong customer demand rather than any shortfall in Apple's production.
Click to expand...
What's the difference? If demand outstrips supply, Apple hasn't produced enough. Period. Frankly it's a good problem to have if you're Apple but Apple is certainly walking that fine line between customers wanting the phone but settling for something else because they need to wait to get it.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

My local AT&T store quoted me 3 weeks for one. I decided "screw that" and just ordered via Apple's online store which was 1-2 weeks. I ordered a white 64GB on November 10th and it arrived on November 14th. Just order it online, people.
 
SpinThis! said:
What's the difference? If demand outstrips supply, Apple hasn't produced enough. Period. Frankly it's a good problem to have if you're Apple but Apple is certainly walking that fine line between customers wanting the phone but settling for something else because they need to wait to get it.
Click to expand...

I think most people who want the iPhone will wait. People who were on the fence might not and opt for something else if they are really itching to have a new device and/or their current phone is broken/unusable.

They might not like it. But they'll wait.
 
SpinThis! said:
What's the difference? If demand outstrips supply, Apple hasn't produced enough. Period. Frankly it's a good problem to have if you're Apple but Apple is certainly walking that fine line between customers wanting the phone but settling for something else because they need to wait to get it.
Click to expand...

Actually the real world wait time is fairly small... about a week or so according to anecdotal information on this and other forums. The phone that might actually be suffering is the Verizon Nexus Prime. Real information about its availability is elusive and people on the Android forums are at wits end speculating. At one point I thought the Nexus might even be my next phone, but I am VERY glad to have switched teams and am loving my 4S.
 
nfl46 said:
I figured that this would happen, especially since Sprint was added. Back when we only had AT&T, things were a lot better. One month later, its still hard to get an iPhone in retail stores without pre-ordering.
Click to expand...
Not true!
In 2010 it took me 2 months to get my iPhone 4, back then one had to get in line early in the morning and the lines were miles long. In the end I didn't get it in NYC, I had to buy it in San Fran.
 
Every night at 9PM I try to reserve a black 16GB AT&T and they are never available(for any carrier).
The only ones that I see for a few minutes are the 64GB ones.

This is for stores in the NY metro area.
 
the color and size you order seems to really make a difference. on the at&t thread the 64s (particularly black) were at a standstill but have slowly started moving... i'm still back ordered since 11/1 :( i wish i could have just gone to an apple store but at&t pushed back my eligability date and had to over ride it.


Edit: shipping status just changed to processing!!! :D
 
Last edited:
I ordered the Verizon iPhone Black 16 GB on November 12 online at www.apple.com My status still says "Processing Items" Says will ship in 1-2 weeks, and delivers November 28 to December 5 via standard shipping. I hope its not delayed any longer, since I am going on vacation on December 12.

Everyday I try reserving at my local store around 9pm but its never available. I am in Albuquerque, NM, and there is only one Apple store in town.
 
The three times I stopped in my local Apple Store (Pittsburgh PA area) over the past couple weeks, they had the 4S in stock (32GB was what I asked about, AT&T). On my third inquiry, i ended up buying it, because I had finally become upgrade eligible and 5.0.1 had been released that was to have fixed battery life. Well, the battery is definitely not as good as the 4, but hopefully next weeks' iOS update will fix it.

I got the feeling it was readily available each time I asked. Granted, Pittsburgh is probably one of the smaller cities with Apple Stores.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back