Want an iPhone X? Be prepared to wait.
Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone X is now available for pre-order, but customers should be prepared to wait. While full availability of the iPhone X is scheduled for Nov. 3, orders are reportedly backlogged by weeks.
The iPhone X was available for pre-order Friday at 12:01 a.m. PDT, but according to Fast Company, customers would have had to place their order within “a few minutes” of the launch in order to receive them on Nov. 3, adding that the wait time had already stretched to six weeks as of Friday morning.
The on time launch of Apple’s iPhone X comes following rumors of technology troubles with the new model, as well as reports of tepid demand for the iPhone 8.
According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, citing data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, Apple Inc.'s iPhone 8 posted the weakest sales of any of the company's new smartphones in recent years.
Apple introduced the iPhone X on its website in September. The company said the phone would be “packed with innovative features” including facial recognition and 3D camera functionality.
"We are thrilled to be taking orders for iPhone X, the future of the smartphone. We can see from the initial response, customer demand is off the charts," Apple said in a statement to FOX Business.
"We’re working hard to get this revolutionary new product into the hands of every customer who wants one, as quickly as possible. We will keep accepting orders online, and iPhone X will be available at Apple retail stores on Friday November 3 starting at 8 a.m., as well as from our carrier and retailer partners around the world,” it added.
On Wednesday, Bloomberg published an article that said Apple allowed suppliers to reduce the accuracy of the iPhone X’s facial recognition system to speed output of the phone. Apple told FOX Business that "Bloomberg’s claim that Apple has reduced the accuracy spec for Face ID is completely false and we expect Face ID to be the new gold standard for facial authentication.”