Apple sells 9 million new iPhones in first three days
SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Inc sold nine million iPhones in the weekend debut of two new models, almost double the previous record, even as supply constraints held back availability for some customers.
Demand for the 5s — the higher-end version of the new phones — exceeded initial supplies, Apple said in a statement yesterday.
Analysts had predicted the company would sell five million to 7.75 million units of the upgraded iPhone 5s and multi-colour 5c models.
The iPhone is Apple’s most important product, accounting for half its sales. The company has seen its sales and profit growth slow and has ceded market share in the $280 billion smartphone market to Samsung Electronics Co and other rivals.
The new smartphones went on sale Friday in United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
It’s the first time Apple rolled out its flagship product for sale in China on the same day as elsewhere, abandoning the usual three-month delay, as the company seeks to lure new customers in the world’s largest mobile-phone market.
The more feature-rich iPhone 5s has an improved camera, fingerprint-reader and faster processor. It comes in three colour variations — black/grey, white/ silver and white/gold — and costs $199 to $399 in the US with a two-year wireless contract. The less-expensive 5c model is a reconfigured version of last years iPhone with a plastic casing that comes in five colours. It starts at $99 with a contract.
Shoppers lined up at Apple Stores in New York, Munich, Tokyo and other cities, with some waiting for days to get their hands on the new models. The gold version emerged as the hottest seller, and AT&T Inc, Sprint Corp, T-Mobile US Inc and Verizon Wireless won’t be able to ship gold iPhones until October, while the others are available this month.
Analysts’ estimates varied on iPhone sales over the debut weekend due to projected limited supplies of the iPhone 5s. Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray Cos said Apple would probably sell five million to six million, while Citigroup Inc’s Glen Yeung predicted as many as 7.75 million.