US carriers can’t sell the iPhone 4S fast enough, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. Potential iPhone customers are still unable to get their eager hands on Apple’s coveted smartphone, with many carriers estimating shipping dates of 1-3 weeks.
Initial iPhone 4S sales have made the device Apple’s fastest-selling product of all time, and demand continues to outpace supply.
Verizon Wireless customers may have to wait more than three weeks for the device, according to the carrier’s website. That compares with as much as 21 days at AT&T and up to 14 days at Sprint Nextel. While some tech blogs have suggested Apple’s manufacturing isn’t keeping pace, the carriers point to unexpectedly strong demand for the handset.
“We are having some supply issues in the sense that demand’s huge,” AT&T’s president of emerging devices, Glenn Lurie, said Wednesday. “We have had just record-breaking sales on it.”
The introduction of the iPhone on Sprint’s network resulted in the carrier’s best day of sales in history. AT&T reported a record number of new iPhone activations, and Verizon is also very pleased with sales of Apple’s latest smartphone.
A spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless, Brenda Raney, said the carrier is working with Apple to increase its inventory of iPhone 4S models. “Not only was the iPhone 4S popular when it was introduced, but the popularity continues to build,” she said. “We don’t want to keep our customers waiting for their purchases.”
The iPhone 4S sold over 4 million units in its opening weekend, more than doubling the iPhone 4’s launch numbers. As usual, Apple seems to be prioritizing its own retail inventory, but all outlets are estimating delayed ship times for new orders. For in-store pickup, customers are required to reserve an iPhone 4S online before coming in to buy the handset the following day.
Alex Heath is a journalist who works for Tech Insider. He’s the former co-host of The CultCast. He has been quoted by the likes of the BBC, KRON 4 News, and books like “ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation.” He lives in Lexington, Kentucky. If you want to pitch a story, share a tip, or just get in touch, additional contact information is available on his personal site. Follow him on Twitter.
12 responses to “US Carriers Still Experiencing iPhone 4S Shortages Due To Customer Demand [Report]”
sprint says 2 weeks but i ordered mine friday and got it monday morning
I ordered mine from att last friday black 32gb i4s and it said 14-21 day wait but it was ready for fedex pickup by monday morning and I got it tuesday. I got lucky I guess. I am on a business account not sure if that matters
The opening line is written incorrectly. If they “can’t sell them fast enough” that means that they aren’t selling well and that they want to sell them faster. Correctly: they can’t stock them fast enough. Yup, I’m being a bitch.
It seems to be the same in France where I have my iPhone 4S16G ordered for the last 3 weeks with no signs of showing up. SFR seems to be badly hit by this shortage.
Similar here. Ordered mine on a tuesday (2 weeks ago) and it was on my doorstep friday afternoon. Apple may just be under-promising and can then be heroes when it shows up “early”.
Now if Apple could just deliver iCloud, promised seamlessly (instead of the patchwork jumble of software we received), I’d be most appreciative.