iPhone 5 preorder delivery pushed back 3 to 4 weeks
After selling 2 million iPhones in the first 24 hours, Apple has apparently continued to be overwhelmed by demand for the smartphone.
Demand for the iPhone 5 has been so great in the past week that Apple is apparently having trouble keeping up, as shipping estimates for preorders have now been increased to three to four weeks.
Apple was apparently caught off-guard last week by the crush of initial preorders, with the first batch of iPhone 5 models selling out within an hour. The company even reportedly stopped taking orders for a brief time on Saturday. Now Apple's online store indicates that phones purchased today might not be delivered for four weeks.
The new shipping estimates come after Apple announced yesterday that the iPhone 5 logged more than 2 million preorders in its first 24 hours, more than doubling the tally of the iPhone 4S last year. Apple's next-generation smartphone is benefiting from pent-up demand among consumers seeking a new design, bigger display, and a 4G LTE connection.
While a majority of the orders are expected to be fulfilled on September 21, both Apple and its partner carriers had previously pushed back the shipment dates by a couple of weeks.
The iPhone 5 is also proving to be a hit among reviewers, including CNET's Scott Stein, who praised the addition of 4G LTE and the larger screen. "The iPhone 5 has them, plus a new processor, plus a new design, plus iOS 6, plus a lot more. It's the best iPhone that's been made," Stein wrote.
