iPhone 5 to launch in Taiwan Dec. 14 as shipping times improve to 1 week

With estimated shipping times for the iPhone 5 now improved to one week, Apple is reportedly set to expand its latest handset to Taiwan on Dec. 14.

As of Monday, the iPhone 5 is advertised to be available to ship within one week. The timeframe applies to all capacities and models of the iPhone 5, including black and white color options.

With availability improving, Apple continues to expand the presence of the iPhone 5. A new report from Focus Taiwan summarized on Monday claimed that Apple is "very likely" to launch the iPhone 5 in Taiwan on Dec. 14. It's expected that all major Taiwanese carriers will begin taking iPhone 5 preorders a week prior.

Last week, analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray found that Apple had nearly caught up with demand for the iPhone 5 at its U.S. retail stores. His nightly checks with 100 Apple retail locations found that supply of AT&T and Verizon models had "significantly improved," while Sprint units were regularly available.