Looking to Score an iPhone X? Early Rush Extends Delivery to Just Before Christmas

Apple Inc. began accepting early orders for its iPhone X at 2:01 a.m. CT and within minutes shipping times quickly lengthened to as much as six weeks in the U.S., signaling supplies will likely remain tight as the new device goes on sale Nov. 3.Around the world, Apple fans posted images and comments online of how they were planning to get their hands on one of the $999 (or more) phones. You had to be fast. In Hong Kong, the phone appeared to sell out less than half an hour after ordering began in the mid-afternoon, with the online store there showing the phone "currently unavailable." It was a similar story across Asia.In the U.K., the device sold out within minutes. By mid-morning, customers were being told they would have to wait four to six weeks before the phone became available. And if New Yorkers didn't stay up all night, they were likely out of luck. By early morning on the East Coast Apple's website was already registering a wait of as much as six weeks.A few people posted complaints about glitches, saying the screen was freezing or that they received a notice of a reservation number, but also that Apple couldn't reach the "carrier systems to process your request." Such gripes are typical after the launch of a major gadget and don't necessarily mean there are substantial issues. Mostly people were either sad that they couldn't get one of the first phones, or ecstatic that they did.A spokeswoman for Apple didn't immediately respond with a comment on whether the company expected wait times to decrease.  Continue reading...