Supply, Regulatory Delays Plague International iPhone 4 Arrivals

[Michael Essany]

Who didn't see this one coming?

Apple recently announced that the iPhone 4 would reach a wide array of new countries before the end of this month. Beginning this Friday, July 30th, customers can purchase the popular 4th gen Apple smartphone in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Apple is making the device available for purchase through Apple's retail and online stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

Today, however, as chronicled by the AFP, supply and regulatory problems have caused more than just a few bumps in the road for Apple's aggressive international marketing push. According to those in the know on iPhone 4 inventories, the countries about to begin selling the iPhone 4 will have such limited inventories that they are bound to sell out almost immediately after the product goes on sale with no clue as to how long it will take for supply to keep pace with demand.

In addition to widely anticipated supply shortages, one South Korean distributor is "struggling to stop customers defecting to rival smartphones after a delay in its local release." Regulatory barriers have long been a problem for Apple with regard to getting its products released in a timely fashion in South Korea. When it comes to the iPhone 4, the situation likely won't prove much different. Apple's local spokesman Steve Park tells the AFP that: "Our customers have made the iPhone the top selling smartphone in Korea and we are working very hard to bring them iPhone 4 as soon as possible."

For the time being, in the absence of the iPhone 4, many fear a substantial loss in business to rival smartphones that are already very popular in the region, particularly Samsung's Galaxy S. "Many customers who have been weighing which smartphones they should buy are turning to Samsung's Galaxy S as the release of iPhone 4 is being delayed," said John Park of Daishin Securities.

AFP

[hookemhorns27]

awwww, glad i have mine

[iKiro]

LOL my friend really thinks he can get one on launch day. I'm waiting for my white one =.=

[LastSonOfKrypton]

Wow. If it's not supply shortages it's regulatory barriers.

"Sorry, Apple made plenty of iPhone 4's for launch but our government would only allow 100 in the country"

LOL!

[tobi1991]

damn -.- i've been waiting so long now (austria) for this f****** great iphone. i got my iphone 1gen now since it released in the us and now i want the new. and after a year my display was broken but it still works perfectly good job apple. but how long i have to wait nor for the iphone 4?!
anyway i hope to get it on friday!!

[dmaxwell10686]

LOL my friend really thinks he can get one on launch day. I'm waiting for my white one =.=

Keep waiting.......n waiting.......oh and waiting more

[whereswaldo]

I think there will be shortages because everyone in Luxembourg will buy one, and that's almost 50,000 iPhones gone

[dazzer1983]

I thought there would be a long wait when i ordered 1 last night. Its been dispatched and will be with me tomorrow. Result

[tudtran]

Damn. Apple is gonna gave out a lot of cases

[tremerone]

I think it is because they are secretly fixing the antenna issue!

[allanes5]

If it's not a marketing strategy of some sort, I really hope Apple finally learns from these situations and prepare better for future launches.

[santacruzlocal]

Bought 3 iPhone 4's for my buddies overseas, The things Apple does for it's Military

[jOnGarrett]

"most successful product launch to date" yeah right, waiting almost 4 weeks for mine !! WTF!?

"this changes everything" sure does, never in the history of wireless has there been such a mess !!

[neodude237]

"most successful product launch to date" yeah right, waiting almost 4 weeks for mine !! WTF!?

That implies it's successful

[CaptainChaos]

Successful to their pocket books, but unsuccessful in customer relations hence the Galaxy exodus.

[LastSonOfKrypton]

"most successful product launch to date" yeah right, waiting almost 4 weeks for mine !! WTF!?

"this changes everything" sure does, never in the history of wireless has there been such a mess !!

I spit coffee all over when I read that post

[chekeshac]

LOL my friend really thinks he can get one on launch day. I'm waiting for my white one =.=

I'm waiting for the white iPhone 4 too but just might wait to see what will be release next summer...if I'm still interested by the time it's released!

Don't understand Apple push to sell only black iPhone 4 first and the international push with little to no supply. It makes this whole release process look like a mess and leaves Apple no room for errors.....which happened with this intenna and bumper issue. They have too much going on at once that I have to wait for my dag on white iPhone 4!!!!! 

[MetallicaFan1991]

I still don't have my iPhone 4
Hurry up and deliver it Apple.

[dazzer1983]

I still don't have my iPhone 4
Hurry up and deliver it Apple.

Last i checked there was a 3 week wait on apple uk site. Hope it come soon for ya

[chg128]

Last i checked there was a 3 week wait on apple uk site. Hope it come soon for ya

i got mine about 10 day ago