Apple just released a tiny little message about its 600,000 pre-orders. First, it crowed that it got 600,000 pre-orders and then it apologized for, um, sucking the life out of the economy while people at work kept pressing the “Continue” button over and over again in a Skinner-esque effort to make the damn site work.
Statement by Apple on iPhone 4 Pre-Orders
CUPERTINO, Calif., June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Yesterday Apple and its carrier partners took pre-orders for more than 600,000 of Apple’s new iPhone 4. It was the largest number of pre-orders Apple has ever taken in a single day and was far higher than we anticipated, resulting in many order and approval system malfunctions. Many customers were turned away or abandoned the process in frustration. We apologize to everyone who encountered difficulties, and hope that they will try again or visit an Apple or carrier store once the iPhone 4 is in stock.
Incidentally, I pre-ordered mine on the iPhone app, which went through without a hitch. My concern is, however, that the pre-order is just sitting on my iPhone like a wish that has yet to come true. Also, incidentally, if AT&T and Apple can’t handle 600,000 orders in a day – which is a lot, admittedly – I wonder what servers they’re running. Probably a bunch of WinNT machines (zing!)