World enews: Google’s store is open, and Pixel 6 delivery dates are all over the place

Pre-orders for Google’s new line of phones started at the same time as their launch event, but for most of us, trying to buy a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro has meant seeing nothing but error screens. Some unsteadiness is to be expected given the sudden demand, but at 1PM ET, the doors opened, and Google’s store seemed to fall flat.

As of 5:40PM ET, Google says the store is operational again, and many of us have been able to put orders through. According to a spokesperson, “The Google Store was temporarily down but is now back up. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

However, as 9to5Google points out, being able to submit an order is only part of it. Availability of different devices and projected delivery dates have continued to move around, with little consistency about what’s available and when it might show up at your front door. Some people are reporting delivery dates stretching into 2022 for the Pixel 6 Pro, while others have been able to secure orders scheduled to arrive in early November.

Since then, things have improved, but more than an hour later, most of us were only seeing one error code after another. If you can get through, you can select to use the new Pixel Pass or add on a 30W phone charger. The fast wireless charging Pixel Stand, however, says it’s “coming soon.”

A quick scan of social media revealed that some people were able to complete purchases for the new Pixel 6 in the first hour or two they were available. For the rest of us, at least we’ve had time to learn patience while searching for a PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED, RTX 3090, or Xbox Series X refrigerator.

Update October 19th, 5:55PM ET: Updated to reflect that the store is functional again, and added a statement from a Google spokesperson.