Filed under: iPod Family, Retail, iTunes, iPhone
iTunes activation server pining for the fjords
According to a few tipsters, the iTunes activation servers that help do everything from activate brand new iPhones to getting new firmware for iPod touches are dead to the world.
Tipster dik said "[A]s of right now, [Apple Retail] has lost all connectivity with the iTunes activation servers. No idea how long this will last, but everyone who is in line right now can expect a MUCH longer wait."
This also affects people trying to update to the 2.0 firmware from home, via iTunes for the iPhone and iPod touch. There's a good chance that's where the "We could not complete your iTunes Store request" errors are coming from. Unfortunately, this means that many users have their iPhones bricked temporarily disabled, and only able to make emergency calls.
Apple is aware of the problem and is working to correct it, according to a discussion thread in progress.
If you have any information about what's happening, feel free to tip us. Thanks!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Dustin said 10:04AM on 7-11-2008
Mine worked I have 3g!!!
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Jeffrey Kirk said 3:14PM on 7-12-2008
One of my favorite Monty Python sketches. "He not pining.....he's passed on!".
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Jake Pollack said 10:07AM on 7-11-2008
Thanks TUAW! I was wondering what was happening. I thought Apple punished me for taking the early 2.0 plunge!
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Kurt said 10:08AM on 7-11-2008
Yep, I just ran into this problem. I was 1/2 way through the upgrade process and now my prev-gen iphone is bricked, stuck in the emergency state. Good thing I don't need to use my phone for anything.
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DreadPirateFlint said 10:08AM on 7-11-2008
Yep, I just ran into this problem. I was 1/2 way through the upgrade process and now my prev-gen iphone is bricked, stuck in the emergency state. Good thing I don't need to use my phone for anything.
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eric f. said 10:15AM on 7-11-2008
I'm currently staring at my original iPhone. I hope it's not a brick for too long....
Joe said 10:09AM on 7-11-2008
Hopefully this is a lesson to both Apple and AT&T. Although the first rollout wasn't super smooth I would much rather be sitting at home waiting for activation servers to re-activate than be standing in a line having to pee!
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blinkcowz182 said 10:44AM on 7-11-2008
I just got sent home from the Apple store with my iPhone unactivated and told to activate from home. This shows that Apple and AT&T could allow us to activate from home but simply didn't want to. I'm disappointed in Apple today as I wait for my phone to activate thru iTunes at home.
Kryptinite said 10:09AM on 7-11-2008
Glad I came to work instead today :)
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elindiano said 10:10AM on 7-11-2008
mother fucker!!!
i was updating mine just a sec ago and BAM! doesnt work
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zdiddy said 10:10AM on 7-11-2008
COMPLETELY unacceptable, Apple. First, the disaster with MobileMe, now my iPhone is bricked. But hey, at least I can browse the AppStore. Wouldn't it have made sense to get the phones and mobileme working first, and THEN launch the damn store???
This is just horrible. Apple will be taking a HUGE publicity hit for this - especially with all those in line buying new iPhone 3G today. You know 100% of their focus on fixing this will be for the new phone activations, so for those of us at home just trying to upgrade to 2.0 it may be a very long wait.
I'm currently on hold with customer service now. I'm sure all they'll tell me is "be patient while we fix it".
I'm tired of waiting on Apple over the last 2 days to get this stuff right. You've had WEEKS/MONTHS to get it right.
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John Sample said 2:56PM on 7-11-2008
I couldn't agree more. To this I'd like to add that Apple had the original iPhone rollout to learn, and STILL messed this one up, profoundly. Steve needs to STOP hiring microserfs and START yelling again... People need the fear of god back in them over at Infinite Loop, they're getting extremely sloppy.
Frankly I want a head on a platter... Fire Greg Joswiak, the guy botched up the original release/activation and now the 2.0/3G rollout. I'm sorry the guy just doesn't have what it takes.
John Sample said 2:56PM on 7-11-2008
I couldn't agree more. To this I'd like to add that Apple had the original iPhone rollout to learn, and STILL messed this one up, profoundly. Steve needs to STOP hiring microserfs and START yelling again... People need the fear of god back in them over at Infinite Loop, they're getting extremely sloppy.
Frankly I want a head on a platter... Fire Greg Joswiak, the guy botched up the original release/activation and now the 2.0/3G rollout. I'm sorry the guy just doesn't have what it takes.
XIV said 10:10AM on 7-11-2008
It's looks like the firefox 3 download day !
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Chris Coleman said 10:13AM on 7-11-2008
Yeah, except on Firefox 3 download day people could just use another browser when they couldn't download Firefox 3. There's a lot of people (myself included) who have a useless phone right now.
Chris Coleman said 10:11AM on 7-11-2008
Yeah, my phone is currently useless. I got the upgrade just fine around 8:30, and then after it installed, it couldn't connect to active. This whole thing has been a total clustef*ck.
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B. Waite said 10:18AM on 7-11-2008
When you're an early adopter, you have to accept the terrifying lows that accompany the dizzying highs. It's what being a fanboy is all about.
Well, that and moaning.
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Leehblanc said 10:16AM on 7-11-2008
I have not been one of the detractors over the last day or so, but now I'm joining the chorus. I can live with MobileMe and 2.0 not coming out until today... they weren't promised until today, anyway. The problem is I now have a $400 brick sitting on my desk. Most of my family doesn't have my desk number, only my mobile, so I am incommunicado for the foreseeable futre. This needs to be fixed, and it needs to be fixed NOW!
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GM said 10:15AM on 7-11-2008
C'mon!.... cant we keep these boards family friendly?
Not all of us want to hear (read) language like that on the comments...
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Mark said 10:26AM on 7-11-2008
The internet in general is not "family friendly". Live with it.