Business Insider:

Here's today's statement: "Pre-orders for iPhone 5 have been incredible ...  We’ve been completely blown away by the customer response."

Last year Apple's statement was part of bigger press release. This year's  statement wasn't a press release, just two sentences given to certain news outlets.

Gizmodo:

Apparently emails are rolling out to some iPhone-buyers explaining that despite what they heard before, they won't actually have to wait the two weeks after all; they'll get their iPhone 5 on release date just like they'd hoped.

Played like a ... you know. Right, Jim.