Shipping Estimates for New iPhone 5 Pre-Orders Through Apple Slip to 3-4 Weeks

Tuesday September 18, 2012 9:06 pm PDT by Eric Slivka

The iPhone 5 does not officially launch until Friday, but pre-orders are clearly continuing to roll in through Apple's online store as the company has now bumped shipping estimates for new pre-orders to 3-4 weeks. Apple sold out of its launch day pre-order stock in just about an hour last Friday, with shipping estimates quickly moving to two weeks and then drifting to 2-3 weeks, where they have been for the past few days.

The new 3-4 week estimates are in place in the United States, Canada, and Australia, while several other launch markets including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany remain at 2-3 weeks for the time being. Accounting for shipping time, the new estimates suggest that those placing orders today may not receive their devices until mid-October.

Not only are Apple's lengthening shipping estimates coming before the first round of launches in nine countries this Friday, but the new pre-orders are being pushed well past Apple's second round of launches set to take place in 22 more countries and on additional carriers in some of the first-round markets on September 28. Apple will undoubtedly be reserving some stock for launch availability in the new countries and is of course holding stock for in-store sales beginning this Friday as it rolls out availability, but online orders are now seeing even more substantial delays for the popular device that saw two million pre-orders in just the first 24 hours of availability.

Top Rated Comments

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ImperialX

9 months ago

So apparently the iPhone 5 is a huge disappointment, and no one is going to buy it.

Rating: 28 Positives

edry.hilario

9 months ago

Don't care please bring us iMac news

Rating: 10 Positives

QCassidy352

9 months ago

I don't understand - I read over and over on this forum that it was disappointing, boring, and a minor update. Seems strange that so many people would pre-order such a disappointment.

Rating: 9 Positives

faroZ06

9 months ago

4 weeks! :eek: That's like buying something from China on eBay.

Rating: 7 Positives

somethingelsefl

9 months ago

So apparently the iPhone 5 is a huge disappointment, and no one is going to buy it.

Ugh...alright, we get it. This is becoming the new "Steve Jobs would have never allowed this" comment. Please...stop...this...now.

Rating: 7 Positives

JangoFett124

9 months ago

what i wouldn't give to be a shareholder right now.

~$700?

Rating: 6 Positives

iExpensive

9 months ago

4 weeks! :eek: That's like buying something from China on eBay.

Seriously! I'm just going to wait out the initial hipster hype. I don't care if I'm the first to get the phone. I'll gladly wait a month until I can walk into a store and buy it on the spot. It's less stressful that way.

Rating: 6 Positives

mykelala01

9 months ago

I am not buying one anyways. Really exited about iOS 6 though. When it comes my 4S will have most of the features that the 5 has (Panorama, better Siri, and turn-by-turn navigation).
The rest of the features of the 5:
All-new design: Who cares?
4 inch display: Nice to see, but not enough to make me want to upgrade.
LTE: Drain your battery faster.
A6: I don't do professional video editing on a phone.
Lighting connector: Prepare to spend $30 on an adapter.

Usually the people who are upgrading, were coming from iphone 4. You don't need to sour grape, if your contract won't allow you to upgrade. Just do it next year, maybe you will find a evolution upgrade, on the next iphone launch; and by that time your 2 years contract is up.

Rating: 6 Positives