Apple iPhone users can go hang, as iTunes Store does likewise

By Davey Winder
Friday, 11 July 2008 19:05

Mobility

If you got a new iPhone 3G yesterday or today, depending where in the world you are, then you are probably happily exploring the version 2.0 software and the third party apps that it supports. If you are an existing Apple customer trying to upgrade, it appears you can go hang. Just like the iTunes Store is doing...

So here I am, not bothering to rush out and buy a Jesus Phone 3G on launch day in the UK. I want a PAYG handset, and I am not allowed one of those until Christmas apparently. Not that I am too upset, after all I have an iTouch and after upgrading to the iPod version 2.0 software I will be able to enjoy the same third party applications from the iTunes App Store as the early adopters. Right?

Wrong. Oh so bloody wrong!

Now you expect the iTunes Store to be a little busier than usual today, what with all those new iPhone 3G owners downloading apps and all. But you also expect that a big company like Apple, with all the money and resources at its disposal, and so much time to plan ahead, might have predicted the extra strain that was going hit its servers and acted to reinforce them so no customers were left unhappy.

Wrong again.

Here's the skinny: starting at 9am here in the UK I connect my iTouch to iTunes and hit the check for upgrade button. "A newer version of the iPod software is available (version 2.0). To update your iPod with the latest software, click Update" I am informed.

I click Update.

I wait a bit, and then a bit more. Eventually I am met with a 'click to learn more' box which I click through, and wait a bit more.

"We could not complete your iTunes Store request. The iTunes Store is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later." it now tells me. And continues to tell me the same thing every time I go through the click and wait procedure.

So skip through the day to 3pm, and you will never guess what happened then. Read on to find out...

CONTINUES