US carriers still quoting Sept. 21st iPhone 5 dates [u]
updated 01:33 pm EDT, Fri September 14, 2012
May be best bet for online iPhone preorders
(Updated with AT&T, Verizon slips) US carriers are continuing to offer a September 21st ship date for the iPhone 5, despite long delays at the online Apple Store, according to AppleInsider. AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint are all quoting the target, which may make them the best option for people who have yet to preorder a phone. Once preorders are exhausted, the only option for people wanting a device on launch weekend will be to head down to a retail store belonging to Apple, a carrier, or a third-party chain.
Some people ordering through carriers are having trouble, however. Carrier websites are currently slow due to high traffic, and even phone orders may require a long wait.
Analysts are expecting Apple to sell anywhere between 5 and 10 million iPhone 5s in the first three days after launch. Either figure would make the debut the most successful in iPhone history, and extremely demanding on Apple suppliers. The company is planning a wider international rollout on September 28th, and more gradual growth throughout 2012 and 2013.
Update: Verizon's shipping date has now slipped to September 26th.
Update 2: AT&T has also moved past the 21st, and is quoting shipping times of "14-21 business days."
