iPhone 3G S Activation Delays To Force Apple’s Hands

I have rarely seen a gadget launch to go 100% without any major glitch. The iPhone is no exception. iPhone activation issues are not new and customers have experience them in the past. But perhaps iPhone 3G S buyers did not expect to experience so much delay with their phone’s activation process. CNET reports that Apple may be ready to compensate disgruntled customers with a $30 credit for future purchases:

Thank you for your recent Apple Store order. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay in your iPhone activation.

We are still resolving the issue that was encountered while activating your iPhone with AT&T. Unfortunately, due to system issues and continued high activation volumes, this could take us up to an additional 48 hours to complete.

On Monday, you’ll receive an email from Apple with an iTunes Store credit in the amount of $30. We hope you will enjoy this gift and accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this delay has caused.

We all remember what happened when a whole lot of people tried to activate their iPhones last July, forcing Apple to allow out-of-store activations. You would think Apple and AT&T could get it right this time around. Nevertheless, the $30 credit is more than what other companies would offer in the same situation (anyone remembers Amazon Kindle shipping delays?). The bad news is that if you are having trouble activating your phone, you may have to wait a while. The good news is your iPhone 3G S is not going anywhere. So what’s 48 hours.