Apple became a victim of its own success June 15, when an unexpected 600,000 pre-orders for its iPhone 4 managed to crash both its and AT&T’s ordering systems. AT&T continues to be the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the United States. Apple posted an apology on its Website for what it described as “many order and approval system malfunctions,” although demand for the iPhone 4 has pushed the ship date for pre-orders until July 14. The iPhone 4 represents Apple’s latest attempt to hold back the rising challenge presented by Google Android smartphones.
“It was the largest number of pre-orders Apple has ever taken in a single day and was far higher than we anticipated, resulting in many order and approval system malfunctions,” read a June 16 statement posted on Apple’s Website. “Many customers were turned away or abandoned the process in frustration. We apologize to everyone who encountered difficulties.”