Apple briefly allowed people who wanted a new iPhone 5S to purchase it via the online Apple Store or via the App for pickup at a local Apple retail store. However, after just one day the feature was pulled. It seems that the feature will once again make its return, potentially as soon as Monday if sources are anything to go by.
Apple gave no reason why the feature was originally pulled, but it is suspected that it was either due to a general lack of iPhone 5S supply, or Apple wanted to encourage people to walk into stores and purchase the device.
iPhone 5S Short Supply
Either reason could be perfectly to cause for the decision. After all, Apple didn’t offer pre-orders on the iPhone 5S at launch amongst speculation that Apple wanted to encourage retail sales of the device to boost figures as part of Tim Cooks retail push. In addition, when online orders did go live, they were sold out within the hour, lending reason to believe stock of the iPhone 5S was very limited.
However, whether Apple have managed to sort out the stock issues, or have hit their retail quota, sources say the option of Personal Pickup for the iPhone 5S is coming back, and it could be as soon as Monday September 30th. Users will be able to reserve an iPhone via the Online Apple Store, or via the Apple App, and then pick it up at their closest retail store on a specified day.
Apple will continue to use the card allocation for the iPhone 5S queues given the strong demand still being experienced. Perhaps Apple have hit their retail quota after all, and Tim Cook is happy to open up the online purchasing and personal pickup again.
WIll you be using this option when it is enabled again?