Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple, iPhone
3GS shortages expected overseas due to demand
Of course, they probably don't need to -- iPhone sales are already holding the company up above expectations, and Apple may even be figuring that a little demand never hurt anybody. Why sell a ton of phones when you're already selling more than you expected to? I doubt it's as mysterious as that (they probably expected to sell a certain number and it turns out there are more iPhone fans than they counted on overseas), but even if shortages happen, no one's going to be second guessing Apple's strategy. As far as straight results go for the iPhone, they haven't done anything wrong yet.
[via 9to5Mac]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sid said 9:47AM on 10-16-2009
it goes beyond shortages. The 3GS hasn't even been launched in several of the countries that were already supposed to get it.
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Ruben said 9:49AM on 10-16-2009
In Spain there's not been any iPhones 3GS available until this month. Most people went to buy one on late June and Movistar (Spanish carrier) only supplied 2 mobiles by shop. Then they started to do lists so they could call customers when iPhones were available.
It's not been until last week of September or first week of October moviles started to appear and the sellers say they are only exclusive for other companies customers that one to move to Movistar (my case).
Meanwhile, the carrier was strongly advertising iPhone 3GS in streets and TV but offering the 3G in shops at a very cheap price. We really never knew if they had iPhones 3GS and holding them in warehouse cos they only wanted to get rid of old 3Gs for 3 months.
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Kelmon said 10:51AM on 10-16-2009
That situation sounds a lot like Belgium. I didn't place a pre-order for launch day and was kicking myself for months after. In early July I put my name down on a few lists with the local Independent Apple Resellers and I finally got a call that my phone had arrived a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, by that time it transpired that I was going to be moving back to the UK at the end of the year and I'd decided to buy one there on contract instead. Chances are that I'll get back to the UK and find that there are shortages there and I'll have to wait months again...
Herchu said 10:07AM on 10-16-2009
"Why sell a ton of phones when you're already selling more than you expected to?"
Because it's hard to explain to Apple's stockholders that they don't have the right to expect more and they should be satisfied with the company's current figures?
BTW, there's this current trend I don't understand that implies that satisfying demand is the same as flooding with cheapo products.
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Tom said 10:09AM on 10-16-2009
Expected shortages? I just ordered my 3GS on monday, and I'll probably have to wait one to one and a half month before I get it!
This is been the case since the release a few months ago.
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tosz said 10:47AM on 10-16-2009
Here in Austria I was told the wait will be about a month - got it sooner b/c someone reserved one but didn't pick it up and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
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Rohan said 12:26PM on 10-16-2009
No iPhone 3GS in india as well. I've been dying to get one
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Joe said 12:02PM on 10-16-2009
I hope I don't have to wait. I just sent my phone out for repair (32GB 3GS, the rarest) and it's got all my phone numbers. In the meantime, I'm using my old Nokia and it's like going back on a bicycle after leaving the racetrack.
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pl_svn said 12:18PM on 10-16-2009
just a note to clarify: 3 Italia is the newcomer in iPhone sales, here in Italy, and never achieved satisfactory supplies from Apple
Tim and Vodafone, the two "historical" carriers, are reporting just some occasional delays for black 32GB 3Gs
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Mok said 12:27PM on 10-16-2009
Same situation in Malaysia. Orders are being placed in a 30-45 day waiting list. I got mine on launch day, 31/7, as I pre-ordered. However a 2nd unit that I booked on that same day took about 8 weeks to be available.
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Gabriele said 3:13PM on 10-16-2009
Here in Italy 3 ITA is the company who's giving the iPhone at lowest prices and best contracts, so everybody intentioned to buy an iPhone is trying to get it.
In my case, i got an iPhone 3GS 32GB for 299 €, and every month I put 30€ on my number and they give me 60€ of traffic. I pay then 3€ every week and I have 100mb/day data, and call for 0.0025/sec, 0.07/text.
Every minuute of received call they give me 0.05, every text 0.02.
I know this is quite a strange way for paying mobile for every other country, but believe me is the best plan ever and many people is trying to get it together with the iPhone and this is why £ ITA can't manage demand.
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Sman said 6:01PM on 10-16-2009
It is a bit sad, I mean you don't want to carry stock that won't sell, but you should always want to at least come close to meeting demand.
I am from Canada and I can't even get 3GS upgrade - we currently only have one national carrier but I upgraded on August 6th to the 3GS and am still waiting on the "3-5 business day delivery"....it's October 16th today.
I can go to the Apple store and buy one (for $800), but can't get one from our (exclusive) national carrier with an upgrade as they have been sold out since July apparently.
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Mike Puchol said 1:43PM on 10-18-2009
I've been bitchin' about the situation in Spain for MONTHS, and TUAW didn't pick on the story. There's a 19-page thread on Apple's support forums about the situation. I won't repeat what Ruben said, as it's exactly the truth - and even today, there are many shops that still don't have stock since launch day.
Eventually I gave up, and bought a factory-unlocked phone in a small shop in Barcelona (they bring them from Poland and other places), for some 900 Euros, and I also moved from Movistar to Yoigo, so I'm no longer paying the "Apple carrier tax". Given my usage, I will more than recoup the more expensive unlocked 3GS.
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