Apple sells 9m iPhones in just 3 days
Apple shares rose 4.5% to $488.64 (€361.96) in early trading yesterday following the news.
Sales of the new models were nearly double those of the iPhone 5 in the first weekend after its launch a year ago. The iPhone 5 sold 5m in its first three days on the market.
“It’s a great number,” Colin Gillis, an analyst with BGC Partners, of the sales figure for the 5s and 5c. “We have been saying they will be selling every 5s they can make and it looks like that is the case.”
Wall Street analysts had expected Apple to sell about 6m of the two new iPhones.
Apple tweaked its financial forecast to reflect the higher sales, an unusual move for the company. It said revenue in the fiscal fourth quarter would be near the high end of its previous forecast of $34bn to $37bn. It said gross profit margin would come in at the top of its previous forecast of 36%-37%. Analysts’ average revenue forecast is $36.10bn, according to Reuters.
Demand for the iPhone 5s has exceeded initial supplies, and many online orders are scheduled to be shipped in the coming weeks, Apple said.
On Friday, long lines formed outside stores in Tokyo, New York, San Francisco and other cities for the new top-of-the-line 5s and the less-expensive 5c. It was the first time Apple launched two iPhone models simultaneously. A date for an Irish release has not been set.
“The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we’ve sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5s, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly,” Apple chief executive Tim Cook said.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience and are working hard to build enough new iPhones for everyone.”
Meanwhile, the company said more than 200m iOS devices are now running the upgraded mobile operating system iOS 7, which was rolled out just before the iPhone launch.
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