14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has started emailing iPhone 4 buyers notifying them that their new phone is on its way to them. Customers who placed more than one iPhone 4 pre-order are being told that the devices may ship separately. The news should be welcome by those who’ve had to deal with the recent issues both AT&T and Apple have been experiencing with the iPhone 4 pre-orders system.
A screenshot posted over at MacRumors shows a shipment notification from Apple informing a customer named Michael that his June 15 pre-order is now materializing in the form of an iPhone 4. Apple tells the customer, “We are pleased to inform you that your iPhone has shipped. Please check below for your confirmed delivery date. If you ordered more than one item, they may ship separately.” The shipment notification is signed “The Apple Store”.
Apple and AT&T, the exclusive US iPhone carrier, have had a rough time fulfilling pre-orders for Apple’s latest-introduced phone, with AT&T experiencing system glitches that led to credit card information being exposed, and Apple signaling device shortages. Now, several people are notifying the aforementioned source that devices have started shipping to their addresses, with FedEx tracking numbers for their unit. According to the site, a number of shipment notifications indicate a "Delivers By" date of June 23rd which is actually a day before the phone’s scheduled launch date.
In related news, Apple today is widely expected to debut iOS 4 - the operating system powering its next-generation smartphone. The software is compatible with a number of Apple devices, including older iPhones and the iPod touch, yet only some models are supported. iOS 4 brings seven major new additions - Multitasking; App Folders; Enhanced Mail app; iBooks for iPhone and iPod touch; Enhanced enterprise features; Game Center; and iAd.