AppleInsider Staff
After a brief absence, Apple's retail in-store pickup option for the newly released iPhone 5s has returned to the company's online store.
Though the option has returned, supply of the iPhone 5s appears to remain constrained, with most locations listing the new flagship device as "unavailable for pickup." All online orders for the iPhone 5s are vaguely listed to ship in the month of October, which begins Tuesday.
After the launch weekend for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, Apple opened up the in-store pickup option a week ago for both devices. Apple's Personal Pickup program allows customers to order their device online and pick it up at their local store, rather than waiting for it to be shipped.
But just a day after the in-store pickup option opened up, Apple removed it for the iPhone 5s, suggesting the company was not able to keep up with demand. Personal Pickup has remained for the mid-range, multi-colored iPhone 5c since last week.
Apple announced last week that it sold 9 million iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c units in the first three days of availability for the new handsets. Availability of the iPhone 5s has been more limited than the iPhone 5c, with constraints allegedly associated with the new Touch ID fingerprint scanner embedded beneath the home button.
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[quote name="AppleInsider" url="/t/159845/iphone-5s-in-store-pickup-option-returns-to-apples-online-store#post_2408353"] But just a day after the in-store pickup option opened up, Apple removed it for the iPhone 5s, suggesting the company was not able to keep up with demand. Personal Pickup has remained for the mid-range, multi-colored iPhone 5c since last week.[/quote] It was reported on other sites that Personal Pickup was accidently rolled out last week and that's why it was quickly removed. "Update: Now hearing that Personal Pickup went live last week early due to a glitch"
If Apple is already able to meet demand enough to open up Personal Pickup, sales this quarter are going to be huge. Especially heading into the holidays. Side note, visited my local Apple store yesterday for the 5S case and played with the 5C for a few minutes. It feels amazing. I was kinda surprised at how solid it feels.
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For what it's worth, the next shipment of phones must have reached the US. I ordered a 32GB gold 5S from an AT&T store at 8:00 AM on launch day, long after the Apple Store was reporting "October" as a delivery date. over the weekend I got a notification from FedEx that it would be delivered today.
If Apple is already able to meet demand enough to open up Personal Pickup, sales this quarter are going to be huge. Especially heading into the holidays.
Side note, visited my local Apple store yesterday for the 5S case and played with the 5C for a few minutes. It feels amazing. I was kinda surprised at how solid it feels.
Not to say sales won't be huge but meeting demand at this point could mean one of two things.
Just to be clear.