Apple sells 1 million iPhone 3Gs in first weekend
By AppleInsider Staff
Published: 08:40 AM EST
Despite widespread activation problems, Apple said Monday that it sold its one millionth iPhone 3G on Sunday, just three days after the new handset launched worldwide on Friday, July 11..
"iPhone 3G had a stunning opening weekend," said Apple chief executive Steve Jobs.
Last year, Apple managed to sell just 270,000 iPhones during the first two days. Although the Cupertino-based electronics maker did not release a three day tally for first-generation iPhone sales, it would take the company nearly two and a half months to sell its one millionth unit.
"It took 74 days to sell the first one million original iPhones, so the new iPhone 3G is clearly off to a great start around the world," Jobs added.
Unlike last year when opening weekend iPhone sales took place exclusively in the United States, this year's roll-out was helped by simultaneous launch in 20 addition countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.
The three day sales total is sure to send a shriver down the spines of rival handset makers and is particularly impressive given widespread activation issues that plagued the launch from the get-go, at times slowing sales and activations to a snails pace.
Although the new handset went on sale at 8:00 a.m. Friday morning, Apple retail stores around the country were still battling long lines -- sometimes hundreds of customers deep -- in the late evening hours on Saturday and Sunday morning.
AppleInsider | Apple sells 1 million iPhone 3Gs in first weekend