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UPS Shows Some iPhone 7 Shipments Bouncing Back and Forth Between U.S. and Asia

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An increasing number of customers who ordered the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus have noticed irregular movement on their shipments, as confirmed by multiple tipsters who have contacted us. The peculiar UPS tracking information has also been documented by several Twitter and Reddit users.

iPhone-7-UPS-tracking.jpg

MacRumors reader Daniel G., for example, has seemingly seen his iPhone 7 Plus order move between Shanghai, China and Anchorage, Alaska, only to end up back in China. The shipment even made a brief stop in Osaka, Japan, before heading to Louisville, Kentucky en route to Long Island City in Queens.
My iPhone got stuck in China, was sent to Alaska, sent back to China, and is now in Japan. I called Apple and they noted I am one of several who has called about this issue. I placed my order on September 11th. Original shipping estimate said the 27th to the 29th. This was soon changed to September 19th, and then 20th. Once it was delayed, it said shipping date unknown. Apple said they would look into it and call me back.
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Other MacRumors readers said likewise in discussion topics titled "My iPhone is on a travel adventure" and "Waiting for UPS."

Reddit user AlphaAnger, too, shared a nearly identical scenario:
I preordered the iPhone 7 from the Apple website and it shipped out at the beginning of the week. Anyone else's iPhone just taking a tour of China and Korea? My UPS says it just keeps going back and forth between Korea and China with no estimated ship date.
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Twitter user Minton, who shared the UPS tracking information pictured above, has seen his iPhone order travel from Zhengzhou, China to Incheon, South Korea to Louisville, Kentucky, at which point it was seemingly sent back to Hong Kong. The entire movement took place within a span of just three days.
My iPhone went from China -> Korea -> United States -> Hong Kong? That doesn't seem right. @UPS @Apple pic.twitter.com/1CdS4290S2 - minton (@minton) September 21, 2016
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Minton is not alone, as several Twitter users have noticed similarly irregular movement on their iPhone orders this week.
According to UPS, the iPhone I ordered keeps flying back and forth between Zhengzhou, China, and Icheon, South Korea. Seems inefficient. pic.twitter.com/r7PaDlZwga - Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) September 21, 2016
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My iPhone 7 travel adventure courtesy of @UPS: China > South Korea > Kentucky > Hong Kong > Alaska > .... - Charlie K. (@callmesailor) September 21, 2016
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In some cases, shipments have moved between the U.S. and Asia in only a few hours, which is unrealistic even when accounting for time zone differences. UPS has allegedly told some customers the irregular movement is related to paperwork, but weather and mechanical issues could also be involved.

Whatever the underlying reason may be, the issue appears to be slowing down iPhone deliveries for at least some customers in the United States. Some customers on Twitter have complained that their new iPhone is "stuck in Korea," while others have vented their frustrations towards UPS's customer service account.

Article Link: UPS Shows Some iPhone 7 Shipments Bouncing Back and Forth Between U.S. and Asia
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/09/22/iphone-7-shipments-bouncing-between-us-asia/
I was going to say maybe trouble with customs? But that doesn't explain the changes within hours.

Edit: Maybe it does happen all the time, or at least regularly. It's being noticed more because for these items people are more often fanatically checking, checking, and re-checking.
 
My tracking keeps bouncing back and fourth as well. My phone was supposed to be delivered yesterday but now it's stuck in Korea.
 
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I had the same issue with my watch. It went from Suzhou, to Shanghai, to Anchorage AK, back to Shanghai, to Narita, Japan, back to Anchorage, all the way across the country to Louisville, KY before flying back across the country to Seattle.
If only I could pick up those air miles!
 
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matty.p said:
Pretty sure this has been documented before and is more to do with time zones and changes than actual movement. Correct me if I'm wrong but seems to happen sometimes each year.
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I've been checking MR daily for over ten years and can't recall ever seeing a story like this before.

I wonder if it's something dumb like a simple typo or autocorrect or something. It was supposed to say it was in Korea the whole time, but somehow they accidentally ended up saying it was in Kentucky instead.

Another possibility is there's a government of some country that's installing malware on all the devices.
 
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Interesting. I got a notice for my Apple Watch delivery on Friday, it changed to Thursday, then it changed to unknown. I called UPS and it is still sitting in Shanghai. I think they are purposely holding them up for some reason. My watch was initially estimated for October 18-27th or something.
 
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My iPhone 7 Plus did the same thing. My watch is now on a similar adventure. we'll see if it shows up tomorrow which would already be one day late although UPS won't give a date for delivery.
 
Location Date Local Time Activity
Incheon, Korea, Republic of 09/21/2016 8:01 P.M. Arrival Scan
ZhengZhou, China 09/21/2016 4:36 P.M. Departure Scan
09/21/2016 4:09 P.M. Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. / The package will be forwarded to a UPS facility in the destination city.
09/21/2016 2:45 P.M. Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery.
Incheon, Korea, Republic of 09/20/2016 7:53 P.M. Arrival Scan
ZhengZhou, China 09/20/2016 4:38 P.M. Departure Scan
ZhengZhou, China 09/19/2016 11:30 P.M. Arrival Scan
09/19/2016 10:57 P.M. Departure Scan
09/19/2016 6:51 P.M. Location Scan
09/19/2016 4:24 P.M. Origin Scan
China 09/19/2016 9:11 A.M. Order Processed: Ready for UPS



Same thing is happening to me.

On the 19th, the package got picked up and made it out to Korea. Then it went back to China, and back to Korea again, where it appears to be staying. It's been there since the 20th, with no departure scan.

I'm hoping that the data being displayed is wrong - had been hoping to get it tomorrow.
 
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I'm experiencing exactly this. Except now there has been multiple delays. Was supposed to be delivered today, but as of yesterday morning it still hadn't left Asia, so I knew something was up. It was delayed until tomorrow, but now there is no delivery date at all.
Screen Shot 2016-09-22 at 11.48.02 AM.png
 
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Same thing happened to me on iPhone 6s Plus and iPad Pro.....All over Asia, then to Alaska, then to Arizona, then back to Asia, then unknown, then a couple of days later it went through Memphis and delivery. I got to wondering if it was the various systems failing to take into considerations time zones....they apparently use local time and not Universal Time....but that is just a theory.....
 
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Good ol' UPS. I had similar beef when I ordered a 15" BTO Early 2011 MBP. I paid extra for quicker shipping.

The shipping information showed it bouncing between Asian countries like a ping-pong ball. It was mighty frustrating. Eventually it arrived a few days late and Apple happily refunded the shipping cost.
 
My iPhone 7 Plus is doing the same. I ordered it at launch and was backed up till October for delivery, so I expected a late delivery and I'm being patient. I got shipping notification on Monday that it would arrive today, and now it appears to be (or was at some point checked) in Korea and the shipping status has now switched to "! Delay" with an update that "a mechanical failure has delayed delivery. We're adjusting plans to deliver your package as quickly as possible."

I dunno...maybe next week?
 
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