Pope’s visit may delay deliveries of pre-ordered iPhones 6S

A sales assistant shows features of iOS 9 on an Apple iPhone 6 at an Apple reseller shop in Bangkok September 18, 2015. A significant number of Apple Inc customers are reporting their mobile devices have crashed after attempting to upload the new iOS 9 operating system, the latest in a line of launch glitches for the tech giant. (Reuters/Chaiwat Subprasom)

Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6sPlus during an Apple media event in San Francisco, California, September 9, 2015. Sales of Apple‘s new iPhones were on pace to beat the 10 million unit sales it logged during the first weekend of sales last year, the company said September 14, 2015. (Beck Diefenbach/Files/Reuters)

Apple emailed affected customers on Tuesday, notifying them that deliveries may not arrive on time as a result.

UPS, for example, said it was suspending pickup and delivery services in the 20008 and 20016 zip codes in Washington due to security restrictions. Service would be curtailed in certain other parts of D.C., UPS added.

“The majority of UPS customers will see no impact to service as a result of the Pope’s visit,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

In addition, UPS said service “may be delayed” in parts of Philadelphia on Wednesday and Thursday and parts of New York City on Thursday and Friday.

FedEx says it will operate, but with caveats.

The company posted a spreadsheet of all its expected service delays, including offices that will be closed or have limited service.

Apple’s next generation of iPhones will go on sale in stores on Friday. Pre-sales began about a week and a half ago, with most of the expected delivery dates falling on Friday.

MacRumors first reported this story.