A luxurious, 400 horsepower BMW Z8 owned by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is headed to auction next month at Sotheby's in New York. The winning bid is estimated to reach between $300,000 and $400,000.
Jobs' ownership is documented through several service invoices accompanying the car, as well as a copy of a California registration or so-called "pink slip" in his name and at his personal residence, according to the listing.
"According to legend, Jobs was convinced to buy the Z8 by Larry Ellison the iconoclastic CEO of Oracle, who enthused to Jobs that the car was a paragon of modern automotive engineering and ergonomics," the listing says.
The roadster has a production date of April 1, 2000, and it was delivered to him in October of that year, according to Sotheby's. Jobs reportedly sold the car in 2003 to its current owner in Los Angeles.
Over the course of the last 17 years, the car has been driven just 15,200 miles from new, averaging less than 1,000 miles a year, the listing states. It is said to remain in "exemplary condition."
The silver-over-black car is equipped with several accessories, including its original BMW-branded Motorola flip phone that Jobs supposedly hated. The JOBS Z8 license plate was registered by the current owner.
BMW built just over 5,700 Z8s between 1999 and 2003. The car had a suggested price of $128,000 before options in the United States, and used models typically sell for anywhere between $165,000 and over $200,000.
The auction begins December 6 at Sotheby's "Icons" event, featuring supercars from Lamborghini, Ferrari, Jaguar, and other marques. The listing was brought to our attention by BMWBLOG.com.
After spending at least a thousand dollars on a brand new iPhone X, you may be debating whether it's really worth it to spend an additional few hundred dollars on an AppleCare+ plan to insure your shiny new smartphone.
AppleCare+ is an optional, premium warranty plan that extends an iPhone's warranty coverage to two years from the original purchase date of the device, and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage.
AppleCare+ for iPhone X costs $199 upfront, compared to $129 for the iPhone 8 and $149 for the iPhone 8 Plus. As with virtually any form of insurance, AppleCare+ only pays for itself in the event you accidentally damage your device.
To determine if AppleCare+ is worthwhile, we first must look at how much it will cost to repair the iPhone X without the coverage.
Apple recently confirmed it will charge out-of-warranty rates of $279 for iPhone X screen repairs, and $549 for any other damage to the device, unless it is a manufacturing defect covered by Apple's standard one-year limited warranty.
With AppleCare+ for iPhone X, the price of a repair would be the $199 upfront cost of the plan plus a $29 to $99 incidental fee.
If you shatter your iPhone X's screen once, for example, you would pay $279 out of warranty. With the upfront cost of AppleCare+ coupled with the screen repair incidental fee, you would pay $228, so purchasing the plan can save you money in the long run if an accident happens.
If you shatter your iPhone X's back glass, having AppleCare+ is even more worthwhile. Apple's flat rate is $549 for this type of damage, while the upfront cost of AppleCare+ coupled with a $99 incidental fee totals $298.
The chart below shows that AppleCare+ will save you money in the long run if you damage your iPhone X in any way just once in two years.
Even if you never damage your iPhone X, AppleCare+ has one additional perk that can be quite valuable: 24/7 priority access to Apple support advisors via phone or online chat for two years after your iPhone X's purchase date. Without it, iPhone users are covered by just 90 days of complimentary telephone support.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer as to whether AppleCare+ is worth it, as it very much depends on how careful you are. But given the iPhone X's out-of-warranty repair fees are quite high, it may be more worthwhile than ever.
AppleCare+ can be purchased through Apple's online or retail stores. If not purchased alongside the iPhone, it can be added within 60 days, pending a diagnostic test to ensure no damage has occurred in that time.
It's also worth noting that if you cancel your AppleCare+ plan before the two-year coverage period expires, you'll get a partial refund based on the percentage of unexpired coverage, minus the value of any service already provided. A cancellation fee of $25 or 10 percent of the pro-rata amount, whichever is less, applies.
All prices above are listed in U.S. dollars. AppleCare+ and Apple's out-of-warranty repair fees vary in other countries.
While the iPhone X has reportedly faced production issues related to the TrueDepth camera, resulting in shipment delays, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said supply of components for the facial recognition system is now stable.
In a research note with KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo added that Apple won't "repeat the mistake" of delayed production with next year's iPhone models, which he predicts will "arrive on time" under "stable supply."
Apple won't repeat the mistake of supply disruption & delayed production as seen with iPhone X. We believe shipments of new 2H18F iPhones will arrive on time under stable supply in late 3Q18F. And given no major spec upgrade of TrueDepth camera on these new models, we believe Apple will continue to use the same WLO for dot projector and 4P lens of infrared camera as iPhone X. We believe the supply of both components are now stable, leaving no need to switch to other solutions.
Kuo expects new iPhone models launching in the second half of 2018 to adopt the same wafer level optics for the TrueDepth system's dot projector, and the same 4P lens for the infrared camera, as the iPhone X.
iPhone X pre-orders began on Friday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, and shipping estimates have remained at 5-6 weeks since a few hours after that time.
The first iPhone X orders began shipping out to customers today ahead of a promised delivery date on Friday, November 3, the official launch date for the device.
Apple hasn't updated order statuses from "Preparing for Shipment" and won't do so until later this week when packages begin hitting their destination countries, but iPhone X models shipping via UPS in the United States are in transit and can be tracked using a UPS My Choice account or, in some cases, by reference number on the UPS website.
Tracking by reference often requires a phone number and a zip code, but sometimes the order number minus the last two digits also works. Many of our forum members are seeing their orders on the UPS website at this point, but not every order has been transitioned to UPS as of yet, so it may take another day or two for all orders to show up.
Pre-orders for the iPhone X kicked off on Friday, October 27 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, and orders slated for November 3 delivery shifted to preparing for shipment later that same day and customers began seeing charges on their credit cards.
At this point, pre-order supplies of the iPhone X are sold out and have been since minutes after pre-orders went live. Current delivery estimates for iPhone X orders placed today are at 5 to 6 weeks, so many devices won't be arriving until late November and December. Apple is working to ship out iPhone X models as fast as possible, though, and some customers have already seen their delivery dates improve.
While it's no longer possible to pre-order an iPhone X for launch day delivery, Apple will have iPhone X models in stock at retail stores on November 3, so there's still a chance to get a device without a long wait. Customers hoping to get an iPhone X at a retail store should plan to line up early.
Apple this evening began sending emails to customers who attempted to pre-order an iPhone X through the iPhone Upgrade Program but ran into a problem during the process.
In the email Apple asks customers to place a new iPhone Upgrade Program order and to reply to the email with the order number. It's not clear why Apple is asking for order numbers, but it could be that the company is planning to expedite these orders in some way.
The email says Apple is working to get iPhone X models out as soon as possible, but the wording doesn't necessarily suggest an order upgrade or faster shipping, so it's possible Apple is just making sure its iPhone Upgrade Program customers have the chance to place an order.
Customers receiving these emails seem to have been told during ordering that their loan applications with Citizens One were taking longer to process than expected, and many later received notice that their orders were not initially approved. These customers were forced to order at a later date and now have delivery estimates of five to six weeks for their new devices.
If it does turn out Apple is planning to expedite the orders of these customers in some way, we'll update this post, but at the current time, it's unclear what Apple's plans are.
Update: Apple is indeed attempting to fix this problem for its iPhone Upgrade Program customers. Many people who were affected by the order failure issue are being given improved delivery estimates that match the delivery dates they would have received should their orders have originally gone through.
At the Final Cut Pro X Creative Summit, which includes a visit to Apple's Cupertino Campus, Apple announced the next version of its video editing software aimed at professionals, Final Cut Pro X 10.4. Details about the announcement were shared on Twitter by FCPX experts Peter Wiggins, Alex Gollner, and Richard Taylor, giving us a hint of what's coming later this year.
The update will include new color tools, like color wheels and a white balance picker, with new controls for the color board. It will include support for HEVC, the new video format introduced in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, and direct import of iMovie for iOS timelines. The new version of the software will support VR and HDR workflows.
Apple gave a sneak peek of #VR video features in next versions of Motion 5 and Final Cut Pro X at 1 Infinite Loop today pic.twitter.com/vAtZeeuY4o
— Alex Gollner (@Alex4D) October 28, 2017
Apple shared several demos of the new version of Final Cut Pro X in action, including an 8K timeline on the new iMac Pro.
No specific release date for Final Cut Pro X 10.4 was announced, but Apple did say that it's coming before the end of 2017. Final Cut Pro X can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $299.99. [Direct Link]
Some customers who pre-ordered the iPhone X when pre-orders went live and initially received shipping estimates of one to two weeks are seeing their orders upgraded to delivery on November 3.
MacRumors reader Colin ordered a 256GB iPhone X from T-Mobile and was originally provided with a delivery estimate of November 10 to November 17, which has now been updated to November 3.
Colin's updated iPhone X delivery estimate
My own iPhone X order, placed right at 12:01 a.m., originally listed a delivery estimate of November 10 to November 17. It was just recently updated to a confirmed November 3 delivery date on Apple's site. Other customers who ordered early and saw the same delays may also get their shipments sooner than expected.
Colin's original iPhone X delivery estimate after pre-ordering
This is also good news for customers who have much longer wait times, as it suggests Apple is working rapidly to get orders out. Customers with two to three or four to five week delivery estimates may not have to wait quite that long if Apple can ramp up supply fast enough.
Right now, all iPhone X pre-orders are sold out and have been since about 15 minutes after pre-orders first went live. If you buy an iPhone X today, the delivery estimates are at 5 to 6 weeks.
Apple has confirmed it will have iPhone X stock in stores on launch day, so for customers who don't want to wait for weeks to get one of the new devices, lining up is an option. Supplies are limited, though, so it will be best to go as early as possible, likely even the night before.
This week seems like it was totally dominated by all things Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. The story of this game first kicked off over a year ago when Nintendo teased both Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem.
They were originally slated for a fall 2016 release, and, well, we have since seen how that turned out. In late January, Nintendo announced that Animal Crossing had been delayed until its next fiscal year. We suspected it'd make an appearance at the Apple keynote in September, but everything was quiet in the world of Animal Crossing until the Nintendo presentation this week which concluded with the soft launch only a few hours later.
The above video is me playing the first "session" of the game, which goes through the entirety of the game's tutorial as well as getting pretty close to running out of things to do for the day. That took a little under two hours of playing, so at least on the surface it seems like Pocket Camp gives quite a bit of content away for free. We published a more in depth first impressions / review but the basic gist is Pocket Camp is exactly what you'd expect: A slimmed down version of Animal Crossing that runs on your iPhone.
Stranger Things season two is now on Netflix, giving everyone something to absolutely binge out on this weekend... And it seems that for whatever reason, Minecraft is also hopping onboard the Stranger Things hype train. (Or is it the other way around?) Either way, there's a new Stranger Things skin pack in Minecraft which potentially contains spoilers as there are skins for both season one and season two characters. It's pretty impressive how much these skin packs change the feel of the game, so, if that's a thing you're into... add Stranger Things skins to your collection right now.
If you haven't heard of Paladins: Champions of the Realm, it should probably be on your radar. Basically, it's a free to play Overwatch-like title that has system requirements which are shockingly low for a modern game. It's been a hit in the PC world, and Hi-Rez just soft launched Paladins Strike, which is a mobile MOBA that uses Paladins characters and the universe to create an experience that's way more fitting on touch devices. With Arena of Valor on the horizon, and many other good mobile MOBAS already out, I'm curious to see where this one will find a home on the App Store when it's finally released.
MOBAs seem to be the cool new thing on the App Store, and being one of the oldest, Vainglory isn't about to let these new kids on the block get any headway in the market. They just announced a new 5v5 mode that you can pre-register for, and as part of that, they're also updating the game to take advantage of the 120hz screen of the iPad Pro. I'm not sure how 5v5 will turn out, but Vainglory at 120fps sounds absolutely amazing-- Provided you've got a new iPad to play it on.
Last, but not least, is an upcoming game from Annapurna Interactive titled Florence. There aren't a whole lot of details just yet, but the tagline is "an interactive story about love and life." It's being made by Mountains, which is a new indie studio that has Monument Valley alum Ken Wong as the creative director. Annapurna releases awesome things and Ken is an ultra-talented guy, so we're expecting big things. There's no release date yet beyond 2018, so hopefully it comes earlier in the year instead of later in the year.
That's it for this week's big stories in the world of iOS gaming, and as always, if you're into these sorts of things and want an absolute overflow of information in the mobile gaming scene be sure to visit TouchArcade.
Apple this afternoon reminded developers about the imminent launch of the iPhone X and encouraged them to submit apps that are optimized for the new device.
Developers can download Xcode 9.0.1 to test apps using the iPhone X simulator before submitting their updated apps to iTunes Connect.
The future is almost here. iPhone X will be available November 3. This stunning device features the all-new Super Retina display for more immersive experiences and Face ID, a secure new way to unlock, authenticate, and pay. The TrueDepth camera works with ARKit, and the A11 Bionic chip is designed for Core ML and Metal 2. Download Xcode 9.0.1, test your apps in the iPhone X simulator, and capture screenshots. Then submit your updated apps and metadata in iTunes Connect today.
There are specific Human Interface Guidelines developers are encouraged to follow when updating their apps for the iPhone X.
Developers need to take into account the iPhone X's rounded corners, sensor "notch" at the top of the device, and the indicator area for accessing the Home screen to prevent clipping. Developers are discouraged from attempting to mask or call special attention to features like the rounded corners and the sensor housing at the top of the device.
Apps that support Apple Pay or Touch ID will need to make sure Face ID, not Touch ID is referenced within apps on the iPhone X. Apps that use Touch ID will be able to incorporate Face ID as a replacement automatically.
The iPhone X will be in the hands of customers starting on Friday, November 3, the official launch date for the device.
It took somewhere around 15 minutes for the iPhone X to begin selling out this morning after pre-orders went live at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, and for some models, that timeline was much shorter.
Delivery estimates started slipping to one to two weeks within minutes, and by the time 1:00 a.m. rolled around, Apple was listing 5 to 6 week estimates for all models across all carriers in the United States. Orders placed now will not arrive until December.
Unsurprisingly, hundreds of iPhone X models that were purchased via pre-order this morning are flooding Craigslist and eBay at huge markups.
On Craigslist, in the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, people are charging $2000 for a 256GB iPhone X on average, a markup of almost $1,000. Similar high prices are listed for all models and capacities. It's the same story on eBay.
Thousands of iPhone X models are listed, many that already have tons of bids. An auction ending in an hour for a 256GB iPhone X has a current bid of $1,675, for example, a premium of $500.
With supplies so constrained, it's no surprise to see hundreds of people who are hoping to make a few bucks from Apple customers who don't want to wait months to get their hands on a new device, but it's frustrating. Apple limits iPhone X purchases to two per customer, but with some people willing to pay hundreds extra, that limit doesn't put a stop to the scalping practice.
Customers who have not already pre-ordered are looking at weeks of waiting, but Apple does plan to have iPhone X models available for purchase in store on launch day, so for those who don't mind going early and waiting in line, there's still a chance to get a device on November 3 without paying extra to a scalper.
Apple said in a statement this morning that demand for the iPhone X is "off the charts." "We're working hard to get this revolutionary new product into the hands of every customer who wants one, as quickly as possible," the company added.
Best Buy began accepting iPhone X pre-orders alongside Apple at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time today, but several customers quickly realized that the electronics retailer is charging an extra $100 for the smartphone at full price.
Apple charges $999 or $1,149 for the iPhone X with 64GB or 256GB of storage in the United States. Best Buy charges $1,099 or $1,249 online and in stores for the equivalent models on a Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint account.
In a statement issued to MacRumors, Best Buy said its prices reflect a customer's ability to "get a phone the way they want."
"Our prices reflect the fact that no matter a customer's desired plan or carrier, or whether a customer is on a business or personal plan, they are able to get a phone the way they want at Best Buy. Our customers have told us they want this flexibility and sometimes that has a cost," a Best Buy spokesperson told MacRumors.
A customer ordering an iPhone X through Apple also has the flexibility of choosing their desired carrier and plan, so Best Buy's statement doesn't really justify why the device costs $100 more at its stores.
Best Buy representatives in stores, on the phone, and on Twitter have provided mixed answers about its price matching policy for the iPhone X. A company spokesperson simply linked us to Best Buy's price matching policy in general.
Best Buy also charges $100 more for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus at full retail price in the United States.
iPhone X pre-orders began at 12:01 a.m. on the West Coast and 3:01 a.m. on the East Coast in the United States, with throngs of Apple customers rushing to purchase the device as quickly as possible in the middle of the night.
While many customers were able to complete their order quickly enough to receive a delivery date of November 3, the day the device launches, some using the AT&T app to pre-order faced unexpected delays of 10 to 15 minutes or longer.
One AT&T subscriber, for example, tweeted screenshots of the app showing that her estimated wait time was 18 minutes until she could pre-order an iPhone X, but once she got down to one minute remaining she lost her position in the virtual queue.
@ATTCares ...You care?? I just had to wait 18 min to pre order and then redirects me to the site and makes me wait AGAIN now 30 more min???? pic.twitter.com/2TrgOd47e6
— momof4always (@Bayley4everat20) October 27, 2017
A second AT&T customer Chris tweeted a screenshot of the app saying "there's been an error tracking your place in line" with a "try again" button. When he tried again, he said he was placed into another 35-minute queue.
What is this @ATT I wait 47 min for the iphone X after a supposedly 15 wait and then I get this message? I’m really dissatisfied right now. pic.twitter.com/agmmIxzYUz
— Christopher Saker (@CJSaker) October 27, 2017
Meanwhile, some customers attempting to pre-order on Apple.com or with the Apple Store app said the storefront remained offline for around 10 to 20 minutes after iPhone X pre-orders officially began.
iPhone X shipping estimates slipped to 2-3 weeks for most models within just 15 minutes, and to 4-5 weeks within 30 minutes, so these hiccups mean that some customers might not receive their iPhone X until early December.
Apple typically underpromises with its shipping estimates, however, so some customers may receive their iPhone X earlier than expected.
A bit of good news is that some customers who received a message from Apple stating they "can't reach the carrier systems" have received an email with instructions to complete their order for delivery as early as November 3.
iPhone X shipping estimates are now holding steady at 5-6 weeks in the United States.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Casetify to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a case for the new iPhone X, which is launching on November 3. Casetify has created a whole range of new cases for the iPhone X, including the Essential Snap, Essential Woven, Essential Impact, Essential Skin, and DTLA. All of Casetify's cases work with the wireless charging feature in the iPhone X.
The four Essential cases are similar in design, but each offers unique features. The Snap Case, priced at $35, is one of Casetify's slimmest cases and offers a grippy non-matte finish along with basic protection from drops.
The Woven Case, priced at $40 with a card slot and $30 without, holds a couple of credit cards and offers more protection than the Snap Case with a woven fabric back and rubber bumpers at the sides.
Casetify's Essential Impact Case, priced at $45, is thicker and more protective than other cases, and it's constructed from a clear shockproof material that lets the design of the iPhone X shine through. The case has a hardshell exterior that's combined with an impact absorbing layer and a raised bezel around front to protect the screen.
The Essential Skin Case, priced at $25, is Casetify's most basic and affordable case. It's slimmer than even the Snap Case at .45mm thick, and offers light protection from drops. Though it's a thin case, there is a slightly raised lip to protect the iPhone's camera lens at the back.
The DLTA case line, priced at $49, comes in Sand, Olive, Matte Black, and Maroon. It offers military grade shock protection to keep the glass body of the iPhone X from shattering when dropped, and it has a raised lip to protect the display. It's 0.8mm thick and is made from a thermoplastic polyurethane that both absorbs shock and makes the iPhone easier to grip.
We have 10 Casetify cases to give away to MacRumors readers, and winners will be able to pick the style and color they like best. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (October 27) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on November 3. The winners will be chosen randomly on November 3 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
The first iPhone X pre-order customers have begun noting in the MacRumors forums that their orders recently moved to the "preparing for shipment/dispatch" stage. These users are located in Europe, and will be among the first to get the iPhone X in their hands, with deliveries promised to arrive on launch day next Friday, November 3. As of writing, no movement on order statuses has been made for customers in the United States.
Orders that are now updated to "preparing for shipment" status should begin shipping out to customers over the next few days. Once November 3 grows closer, the first orders will arrive to customers in New Zealand and Australia, and soon after that unboxing and hands-on videos of the iPhone X will likely be shared online.
Even though some orders are already preparing to ship, Apple coordinates with its shipping partners to hold deliveries until the official launch day, although on occasion a few can slip through early. The "preparing for shipment" stage also means that orders can no longer be changed or canceled. You can visit our iPhone forums now to discuss your order status with other MacRumors readers.
If you received a shipping estimate beyond the November 3 launch date, there's a chance you could pick up an iPhone X in retail stores when the smartphone launches next Friday in more than 55 countries and territories worldwide. Of course, you'll have to arrive early to get a place in line, and supply is predicted to be constrained in many stores. If you plan on visiting an Apple retail location, most stores will open at 8:00 a.m. local time on November 3.
Update: Some iPhone X orders placed in the United States have also now shifted to preparing to ship with November 3 delivery dates.
Virgin Mobile USA today announced that it will begin taking iPhone X pre-orders on its website on Friday, November 3. The carrier originally said it would launch pre-orders today, in line with Apple and major carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, but evidently the date has been pushed back by one week.
Boost Mobile likewise announced that the iPhone X will be available to order on its website on Friday, November 10 in the United States.
Virgin Mobile USA's so-called "Inner Circle" plan offers unlimited talk, text, and data with a few caveats: video quality is limited to up to 480p resolution, music streams at up to 500 kbps, and games stream at up to 2 Mbps. The carrier promises 4G LTE speeds for "practically everything else."
Customers who use more than 23GB of data in a billing cycle will be de-prioritized during times and places where the network is constrained.
Mobile Hotspot is available for an additional $10 per month, providing up to eight tethered devices with a dedicated allotment of 10GB of high-speed data to share each month. Unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada, and unlimited worldwide text messaging, can also be added for $5 per month.
Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile are both subsidiaries of Sprint and share the parent company's network in the United States.
Apple Watch Series 3 models with Wi-Fi and GPS became available to purchase on Apple's website in Mexico and the Philippines today after launching in Bahrain and Malaysia last week. Apple says the non-cellular models will also be available to buy in South Korea on November 3 and in Brazil on November 17.
Apple Watch Series 3 first launched September 22 in the United States Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the UK.
Availability of the GPS-only models expanded to the United Arab Emirates the next day, and to Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Guam, Hungary, Iceland, India, Jersey, Macau, Monaco, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Thailand, and Turkey on September 29. Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia followed September 30.
Apple Watch Series 3 models with LTE launched September 22 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, and the UK, with other countries to follow next year.
iPhone X pre-orders began at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time today and effectively sold out in just minutes. Orders placed now are estimated to ship in five to six weeks, pushing deliveries into early December.
While the shipping estimates aren't a reliable indicator of iPhone X sales without knowing how much supply is available, Apple issued a statement to MacRumors indicating that customer demand is "off the charts."
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. 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.
"The surging shipment lead times around the iPhone X approach the very popular iPhone 6 Plus," said Brian White, an Apple analyst with Drexel Hamilton, in a research note obtained by MacRumors.
The comparison with the iPhone 6 launch doesn't tell us much since, again, we don't know how much inventory was available on each launch day.
Gene Munster, a longtime Apple analyst turned venture capitalist at Loup Ventures, said he views Apple's current five to six week shipping estimate as a sign that demand for the iPhone X is "trending more favorable than investor expectations."
Munster created a chart that visualizes exactly when the iPhone X shipping estimates changed throughout the early hours.
Leading up to iPhone X pre-orders, multiple reports suggested Apple's manufacturing partners were struggling to assemble the TrueDepth camera and 3D facial recognition system that powers Face ID.
For this reason, several industry observers said the iPhone X would be in extremely short supply until next year. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecasted there would just two to three million units available at launch.
Apple stopped releasing first weekend sales numbers for new iPhone models last year, as demand typically outweighs supply, so the company feels it is no longer a representative metric for investors or customers.
Customers that missed out on pre-orders or face a lengthy shipping estimate can try their luck at Apple Stores on November 3. Apple said stores will have the iPhone X available for walk-in customers on a first come, first served basis, and it suggested customers arrive early as it anticipates strong demand.
Nintendo's newly-announced iOS game, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, has soft launched in the Australian iOS App Store, a launch rollout that Nintendo has begun to favor as a way to test its iOS apps prior to a worldwide debut. According to new data gathered by Sensor Tower, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp climbed to the top of the Australian App Store much faster than either Super Mario Run or Fire Emblem Heroes.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp debuted quite high among all iPhone apps on the Australian App Store, hitting around number 2 within the first hour of its soft launch on October 25. Afterwards, the new game reached the number 1 spot on the Australian App Store within 12 hours of its debut. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is Nintendo's fourth smartphone game made in partnership with developer DeNA, following Miitomo, Super Mario Run, and Fire Emblem Heroes.
Hourly App Store category rankings from Sensor Tower App Intelligence show Nintendo’s third mobile game, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, off to a strong start in its Australian soft launch on iOS. According to the data, the game reached No. 1 among all iPhone apps faster than Nintendo’s previous mobile releases, Super Mario Run and Fire Emblem Heroes, hitting the impressive milestone within 12 hours of its launch on October 25.
Comparatively, Super Mario Run debuted just below the number 40 ranking. It then hit number 2 after 12 hours on the App Store in Australia, and finally obtained the number 1 spot 14 hours after its soft launch in the country last December.
Fire Emblem Heroes was ranked at number 35 at the 12 hour mark of its respective Australian soft launch earlier this year, and only made it as high as number 13 among all iPhone apps. Fire Emblem isn't quite as well-known a franchise as Mario or Animal Crossing, leading to low download rates on launch day in the United States.
Sensor Tower also reported that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is currently ranked at number 117 among the top grossing iPhone apps in Australia. The game uses "Leaf Tickets" as its form of in-app purchase, allowing players to circumvent certain lengthy wait times for item and furniture building, supplement tickets for crafting materials, add in exclusive animals to their town like Tom Nook and K.K. Slider, and more.
Next, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is set to launch worldwide in late November, although Nintendo hasn't yet confirmed a release date. You can pre-register to be notified as soon as the game hits the App Store in your supported country on Nintendo's website right here.
Apple this afternoon 
