In
London’s West End, Apple fanboys could queue up in three locations to
get their hands on the second coming of Steve Job’s Jesus Phone,
although computer problems threatened to leave customers empty-hearted.
Around
200 hundred people, mostly blokes, queued at Apple’s flagship store in
Regents Street and while doors opened at 8am in the morning, two hours
later, people had still not managed to leave the shop with an iPhone as
O2’s computer system buckled under the strain of a flood of
registrations. And nothing to do with O2’s activation process allegedly
working only on Internet Explorer (something a Mac no longer has on its
desktop). People who buy the phone also have to sign a contract in
order to take the thing away.
However, by
lunchtime, things began to get going again, but at a trickle. A
spokeswoman for O2 said that technical issues connecting customers in
the Apple store had meant that orders weren’t being fulfilled as
quickly as hoped.
"We can confirm that Apple stores are having technical issues connecting to O2
systems," O2 said in a statement. "The systems are currently
working but quite slowly. We are working to get the systems back up to full
speed as quickly as possible."
Around the corner on Oxford Street at O2’s main shop, around 100 people
(again mostly blokes) had queued in the dreary July weather to get
their mitts on the phone. The mobile operator warned that some customer
would remain disappointed as they would have to wait until August for a
new Apple-based phone as supplies were still limited.
Further down the road at the Carphone Warehouse, just around the corner
from a lovely Cornish Pasty shop, healthy queues also lined up to get
the new iPhone.
As for getting an iPhone yourself, wait a week, there’ll be loads then!
The latest iPhone coverage
Very few iPhones in stock – O2
First Look Review: Apple 3G iPhone
O2 website struggles under 3G iPhone demand
PAYG iPhone customers will have to wait
Apple casts light on 3G iPhone details
Sennheiser pumps out iPhone headset
3G iPhone will boost mobile TV
Rumoured 3G iPhone may retail at 100 quid
Will 3G iPhone have the fastest broadband ever?
Apple files solar panel patent