Growing demand for iPhone 5 could affect shipping

As demand for the new iPhone 5 grows, Canadians could be facing delays receiving their device following issues in the U.S.

The high-in-demand device began its pre-sale on Apple’s website at 12:00 a.m. on Friday.

Apple was promising delivery by Sept. 21 but four hours later the expected delivery time for U.S. customers grew by two weeks, according to The Associated Press.

The Associated Press also reported that four hours after that, Apple’s U.S, website stopped taking orders, saying “We’ll be back.”

As it stands, the Canadian website is still offering a pre-sale purchase option.

Before 12 noon ET,Canadian customers looking to place an order online were told to expect an Oct.2 shipping date, according to a service representative at Toronto’s Eaton Centre Apple store.

On the Canadian website, it still invites customers to buy the iPhone 5 at retailers beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Sept. 21. The phone will be released worldwide to 22 more countries on Sept. 28.

No numbers have been released as to how many units have been pre-sold so far.

Tara Hendela, manager of public relations at Apple Canada, declined to comment regarding delayed shipping dates.

Apple announced the launch of its iPhone 5 on Wednesday with a string of new features. It’s the company’s latest iPhone release since last year’s 4S model in October.

The new iPhone features a faster connectivity to 4G cellular networks. It will be made entirely of glass and aluminum, reducing its size by 18 per cent and weight by 20 per cent. A bigger four-inch screen will offer more room for another row of icons.

The camera will get a makeover by introducing eight megapixels with capabilities to eliminate noise in images and perform better in low light. Apple will also ditch Google’s mapping software to introduce its own with the phone’s virtual assistant, Siri, giving directions. The new upgrades come as part of its new software version iOS 6 released on Wednesday.

The release of the new iPhone aims to put Apple back on the map after losing its lead to Samsung smartphones this year.