Apple iPhone 5 pre-orders begin; shipping time pushes to two weeks

CLEVELAND - If you want to avoid standing in line to get a new iPhone, online pre-orders for the latest version of the smartphone are now available – you’ll just have to wait a little longer.

Pre-orders for Apple’s iPhone 5 opened at 12:01 a.m PT (3 a.m. ET) Friday.

As of Friday morning, shipping time for the smartphone had moved to a two-week wait.

CNET reports some customers experienced issues when online ordering opened up. Blogger Danny Sullivan said he received the message, "We have an iPhone for you. We're currently unable to reach the carrier systems to process your order, but will reserve an iPhone for you," on Apple’s site.

If you experience server issues or slow processing, a quicker option may be using an Apple-created platform. Some users reported faster response using Safari as a browser online or the Apple Store app via mobile.

Where to pre-order

Online
- Apple Store
- Service carriers: AT&T , Sprint , Verizon

In Store
- Walmart: Orders were taken beginning at 8 a.m., Bloomberg reports. The store will also offer a discount, $189.97, as opposed to $199, for purchases made with a two-year contract.

The iPhone 5 goes on sale in stores next Friday, Sept. 21.

It is available in a 16-gigabyte model from $199, 32 gigabytes from $299 and 64 gigabytes from $399.