Ours were equally as fast for a first time applicant:

10/23 - Applied at the local passport acceptance agency
10/30 - Passport status trackable online
11/4 - Passports printed and shipped
11/7 - Passports and official documents we had to send in arrive.

2 weeks for non-expedited
 

good to know it's quick right now. do you have to ask for your old passport back or is it returned by default?

Anyway I try to slice and dice it, the passports generally come back faster under the current President's Admin than they used to under any of the prior 3 Presidents.

They are returned as part of the default. Maybe one day this will change with "security" being the excuse again too, but for now they are returned by default for the average US citizen.

Hi from which state did you apply? Is there a difference in processing times accordid
 

From your description, it is not clear whether you signed up for email notifications or not. Simply providing your email on DS-82 is not enough to receive email updates on your passport renewal status.

Passport application took around 5 weeks for a new born. Experienced significant delays when I entered 0000 in the SSN field as his SSN hadn't arrived by the time I applied. Be aware that they either expect you to sign the form or provide a valid SSN.
Timeline -
10/26 - Applied at a passport acceptance agency
11/1 - Application became trackable in the system
11/7 - received an email notification to respond with the SSN or sign the form
11/12 - Response received
11/15 - processing restarted
11/30 - Passport printed - tracking no. provided
12/1 - 12/3 expected date of delivery.

Still happy to receive it before our intended date of travel - 12/15. Was thinking of going the agency route.

I see a lot of US passport applications submitted and processed with 0000 in the SSN field, and I've noticed no delays because of that. While there are now requests for a supplemental form/letter to be signed and submitted by applicant (or person applying on behalf of a US citizen unable to sign for themselves) to avow that the passport applicant has never received a SSN, that doesn't really delay things either if done at the time of application.

My suggestion is not to apply for a SSN during the time while applying for or awaiting for a US passport for an infant, unless there is an urgent need for the SSN to be had in that window.

No, did not register, and never saw a way to do so.

Routine processing speed
11/20 Applied in person at passport acceptance agency.
11/21–11/26 Could track online one of these days. Not sure which day it was I checked.
11/27 Email arrived stating application was being processed, accompanied by application locator number.
11/28 Payment cheque cleared with my bank.
12/6 Received email stating that my my passport had been printed and was en route. Was told to expect it by 12/12.
12/8 Passport arrives.

Total elapsed time from application submission to passport‐in‐hand: 18 days

My application required changing personal information, which is why I applied at an acceptance agency. Not sure if this delayed processing time or not.

You mean you could NOT track online until the 27th, correct?

Routine processing takes 4 to 6 weeks to complete while expedited service takes 2 to 3. Considering that it's peak travel season, processing MAY take longer than usual.