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

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.

iphone 5 ship 3 4 weeks
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.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...

Top Rated Comments

ImperialX Avatar
173 months ago
So apparently the iPhone 5 is a huge disappointment, and no one is going to buy it.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
edry.hilario Avatar
173 months ago
Don't care please bring us iMac news
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
QCassidy352 Avatar
173 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.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
faroZ06 Avatar
173 months ago
4 weeks! :eek: That's like buying something from China on eBay.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
somethingelsefl Avatar
173 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.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mykelala01 Avatar
173 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.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)