iPhone Sales

Good news for those of you looking to buy an iPhone 5 during this holiday season. Apple has come closer to catching up with demand, and shipping times listed on their online store have dropped to just one week. This is down from the previous estimate of two weeks.

Delivery times are the same for all wireless carriers, both the black and white iPhone 5 and all models from 16GB up to 64GB storage. Even though one week may seem like a long time, right after pre-ordering sold out on launch day Apple was taking up to a month to fill orders.

AT&T is now offering refurbished iPhone 5 models at a discount. Sign up for a two-year contract online and you can get $50 off one of the refurbished units. On Black Friday the discount was even steeper, with $100 off being reported by Cult of Mac.

Currently AT&T has marked the refurbished 16GB black iPhone 5 out of stock, but the white 16GB and 32GB or 64GB in white or black are available. The discounts bring refurb phone prices down to $150, $250 and $350 depending on the amount of storage.

That time of year when Apple offers discounts for holiday shoppers is fast approaching. The company has launched its online Gift Guide to help shoppers find the perfect electronic gift. This year, Apple is focusing heavily on the iPad mini, the latest iOS device to hit the market.

Besides encouraging iPad sales, several accessories are highlighted that can be used in conjunction with iOS devices. Everything from Mac computers to iPhones and musical instruments can be shipped for free on the Apple online store. Apple's Gift Guide is not the only way to find the perfect item for friends and family. Holiday shopping apps such as whohas.it can track hard-to-find items and send alerts directly to your iOS device when a product becomes available.

Apple looks to be on track for an iPhone 5 launch in China just two months after its initial release in the US. According to a report cited by MacRumors, China Telecom Chairman Wang Xiaochu expects the iPhone 5 to be approved by the government in early December.

The market for mobile devices in China is expansive and includes the world's largest carrier, China Mobile with 665 million subscribers. Grey market iPhone 5 units imported from other countries are already in high demand. The iPhone 4 rapidly sold out after its launch in China during September 2010.

Apple has executed the fastest new device rollout in its history with the iPhone 5. Countries continue to be added to the list, with the latest round slated to get the new iPhone on Friday, November 2. India was originally planned to get the iPhone 5 this week, however the schedule was pushed back due to shipping delays.

The complete list of countries in the next phase of Apple's global iPhone launch includes Bulgaria, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Greece, India, Malta, Mexico, Romania and Thailand. Analysts are watching to see how India reacts, as Apple has reportedly had difficulty gaining market share due to the higher price of its mobile devices.