iPhone activation delays continue, Apple offers $30 iTunes credit

Though not widely publicised, the US launch of the iPhone 3G S on Friday was tarnished by a widespread activation issue with many owners of a new iPhone 3G S being told on Friday that activation could take up to 48 hours.

Today Apple has issued emails to those who are still suffering activation issues offering a $30 iTunes Store voucher:

Dear Apple Customer,

Thank you for your recent Apple Store order. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay in your iPhone activation.
We are still resolving the issue that was encountered while activating your iPhone with AT&T. Unfortunately, due to system issues and continued high activation volumes, this could take us up to an additional 48 hours to complete.
On Monday, you’ll receive an email from Apple with an iTunes Store credit in the amount of $30. We hope you will enjoy this gift and accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this delay has caused.

Thank you for choosing Apple.

Sincerely,
Apple Online Store Team

It is unclear as to how many customers have been hit by the activation issues. The credit though, is a only a small token for the inconvenience experienced by customers without phone service or those unable to use their new iPhones.