iPhone 7 units are going to be rarer than hen’s teeth this Friday, according to Apple. The company’s retail stores have sold out of the hugely popular jet black iPhone 7 and all iPhone Plus models altogether.
In other words, unless you reserved ahead, simply queuing outside your local Apple store is no guarantee you will get the handset you want on launch day.
In a statement shared by TechCrunch, Apple wrote:
“We couldn’t be happier with the initial response to iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and we are looking forward to beginning sales through our retail stores and partners around the world.
Beginning Friday, limited quantities of iPhone 7 in silver, gold, rose gold, and black will be available for walk-in customers at Apple retail stores. During the online pre-order period, initial quantities of iPhone 7 Plus in all finishes and iPhone 7 in jet black sold out and will not be available for walk-in customers. Availability at partner locations for all finishes may vary and we recommend checking directly with them.
Customers can continue to order all models in all colors on apple.com. We sincerely appreciate our customers’ patience as we work hard to get the new iPhone into the hands of everyone who wants one as quickly as possible.”
It’s certainly a far cry from the problem of shrinking demand for the iPhone, but it’s also pretty tough to argue against the fact that Apple has botched the iPhone 7 rollout.
The online preorder system was a nightmare for virtually all involved, and now Apple has revealed that it’s going to be unable to cater to its most loyal fans: the ones willing to brave the elements to purchase a new iPhone on launch day, a practice that has become a tradition for some.
Since taking over as Apple’s retail guru, Angela Ahrendts has been working to get Apple fans to order online instead of waiting outside stores. For the company’s Apple Watch launch last year, Ahrendts sent a memo declaring that “the days of waiting in line … are over” for customers.
While it seems like iPhone 7 demand may have been greater than Apple anticipated, rather than this being a strategy to do away with midnight iPhone queues, it’s still a shame that many people are going to be kept waiting to get their hands on the iPhone they’re hankering after.
