Those who queued outside Softbank stores in Japan eager to be the one of first the get their hands on the iPhone 4S today were frustrated when a server glitch caused problems with purchasing for over three hours after the device went on launch. Softbank doors opened at 8 AM especially for the new device, but service wasn’t completely restored until around 11 AM.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Softbank stores were able to sell some devices during the server issues, but they meant that service was notably slower than usual. Some stores even had to take down customer information by hand, causing further delay.
Softbank’s Chief Executive Masayoshi Son apologized to customers with a message via Twitter which simply read, “I am sorry for the inconvenience. The registration system has been restored.”
With the launch of the iPhone 4S, Softbank has now lost its exclusivity to the iPhone and will sell the new device alongside rival carrier KDDI. I wonder how many customers stuck in those hold-ups turned around and went to a KDDI store.
