Friday, July 11, 2008 5:36 AM PT Posted by Tom Spring
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iTunes Store "Unavailable": This iPod Touch Owner is Stuck in Update Limbo

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Since I'm a Verizon Wireless customer the closest thing to joining the iFrenzy for the iPhone 3G is taking advantage of Apple's App Store and the wealth new software options available for my iPod Touch. The only problem (sound effect of vinyl record scratching) I can't run any applications from the just opened Apple App Store because I'm locked out. Worse, now that I've updated iTunes to 7.7, I can browse and salivate over applications compatible with my iPod Touch and even download them to my PC. The only problem is my iPod Touch firmware won't update to the latest 2.0 version available today. I've been stuck looking at the message "This version of the iPod software (1.1.4) is the current version."

Problems Are Widespread

I'm not alone. Without much poking around I've been able to find plenty of iPod Touch users like me stuck in the same boat. If you're even considering updating your first-gen iPhone don't even try. Doing so will likely lock it up.

(See bottom for the latest UPDATE: 3:06pm ET: Consider yourself one of the fortunate iPhone 3G users if you aren't having problems activating your new 3G phone. Also AT&T confirms global activation problems. Also see blog on in-store activations.)

Sweet Relief, Or Just a Tease?

Around 8:30am ET a new message popped up in my iTunes 7.7 software under the iPod Summary tab that reads "A newer version of the iPod software is available (version 2.0). To update your iPod with the latest, click Update."



Great I thought until I clicked on "Update." Now I'm getting an error message saying "We could not complete your iTunes Store request. The iTunes Store is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later."

The Saga Continues

About five minutes later I'm getting another mysterious message from iTunes now claiming "Your iPod software is up to date." But that of course is not true, because a check of my iPod Touch's firmware shows I'm still using the 1.1.4 version.

I can only assume that Apple's servers are being overrun and overloaded by people like myself eager to update their iPod Touch, first-generation iPhones, and those lucky people downloading new applications with their brand new iPhone 3Gs.

Stay tuned for an update.


UPDATE: 11:10am ET

I'm still locked out of updating my iPod Touch via iTunes. But one thing Apple has managed to do is bill me for Apple App Store software downloaded to my PC earlier this morning. I JUST received an e-mail confirmation my credit card has been billed.



Grrrr. It would be nice to actually use these apps now that I paid for them.

UPDATE: 1:15pm ET

I'm definitely not the only one having troubles. First generation iPhone users are fuming mad over not only not being able to update firmware to the newest iPhone 2.0 version. Complaints are piling up the failed update has essentially "bricked" their iPhones. Some Wall Street wonks are attributing activation problems for a drop in Apple's stock (down 4.7 points as of 1:15pm ET).

There is not much good news to pacify those frustrated by the failed update. Apple is officially not saying a word. The number of complaints popping up in Apple's support forum is growing by the minute. One iPhone user able to contact Apple support said he was told "The tech said that Apple's server has shut down because of the huge surge of people who are updating their phones. They are now working on it, he said."

UPDATE: 3:06pm ET

Still dead in the water with my iPod Touch along with an unknown number of first-generation iPhone users. Also consider yourself one of the fortunate iPhone 3G users if you aren't having problems activating your new 3G phone.

No official word from Apple what's going wrong. But AT&T is publicly acknowledging it's aware of a "global problem" with Apple's iTune servers. My guess is AT&T doesn't want anyone to think it is to blame is happy to point the finger at Apple. AT&T says Apple's iTunes servers are preventing some iPhone 3Gs from being fully activated in-store.

As an alternative AT&T Wireless retail store employees are directing new iPhone 3G owners to go home and try to connect to Apple's iTunes' servers on their own.

That's not working either. Here at PC World several eager iPhone 3G owners have yet to activate their iPhones because of an inability Apple's iTunes' servers. A couple of staffers have been trying with no luck for hours to activate their iPhones.

As for me, all I'm getting are new variations of the same error message from Apple's iTunes.




Check back for updates...