Share

iPhone weekend sales top record 10 million

Washington - Apple broke its sales record for an opening weekend of a new iPhone model, delivering 10 million in the first three days and boasting it could have sold more if it had them.

"Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn't be happier," Apple chief executive Tim Cook said Monday.

"We could have sold many more iPhones with greater supply and we are working hard to fill orders as quickly as possible."

The opening weekend for the large-screen iPhones allowed Apple to break its record for launch weekend sales of nine million, which its set last year when it launched the iPhone 5S and 5C.

The new models were launched on Friday in the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico and Singapore.

They will be available in more than 20 additional countries from September 26, and 115 countries by the end of the year.

Long lines from Tokyo to New York

The global rollout led to long lines outside Tokyo's flagship Apple store in glitzy Ginza, and in stores from Hong Kong to Paris to New York.

Cook personally kicked off sales of the iPhone 6, joining in "selfies" and shaking hands with customers Friday outside the company's store in Palo Alto, California, near his Silicon Valley home.

Both new iPhones have larger screens as Apple catches up with the "phablet" trend pioneered by competitors such as Samsung, which has had success with its Galaxy Note series.

The iPhone 6 has a screen of 4.7 inches and the 6 Plus is 5.5 inches, reflecting a growing preference for bigger displays, despite Apple's earlier vow to stick with the traditional size.

Main rival Samsung has long had a range of larger handsets, which are popular in Asia, and will soon release a new Galaxy Note 4.

Apple said more than four million pre-orders were received in the 24 hours after the sale was announced.

The new iPhones come with Apple steadily losing market share to low-cost Android devices from South Korean rival Samsung and others.

While Apple sold more than 35 million iPhones in the second quarter, its growth was slower than that of many rivals and its market share dipped to 11.7%, according to the research firm IDC.

Samsung led the global smartphone market in the quarter with sales of 74 million and a market share of 25%, according to IDC figures.

But the strongest growth in the past quarter came from Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei and Lenovo, which boosted their market share, notably in their home market.

Apple has not yet announced plans for sales of the iPhone 6 in China. State officials said last week the US firm still needs to obtain "a key network access license" before selling on the mainland.

Apple did get broader access to the Chinese market earlier this year when China Mobile, the country's biggest wireless provider, started selling iPhones, ending a six-year wait in a crucial market for the US technology giant.

Along with the new iPhone, Apple released an updated mobile operating system, iOS 8 with more features for fitness monitoring and home automation.

The company also plans for roll out its Apple Watch which links to the iPhone in 2015, and has announced the newer iPhones would be equipped for mobile payments in the US market.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.89
+0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.82
+0.4%
Rand - Euro
20.37
+0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.30
+0.3%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders