Four million units in three days. That’s how many iPhone 4Ss Apple sold over the weekend.
Apple confirmed the unprecedented number, predicted by a few analysts, in a press release this morning. The iPhone 4 managed to sell 1.7 million units in its first three days of availability by comparison. Even more telling is the comparison between Apple and its competitors. The Samsung Galaxy S ll took 55 days to reach 4 million units sold.
A number of factors played into the 4S’s record breaking weekend. Last year the iPhone 4 only launched on a single carrier (AT&T) in the U.S. This year it was available simultaneously on all three major U.S. carriers in addition to launching in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Japan. The 4S will be available in 70 more countries by the year's end.
Another factor is timing. A number of iPhone 3G and 3GS users' contracts were up, making the leap to an iPhone 4S much easier and more justifiable than the jump to the iPhone 4 last year. Also, Apple threw off their usual release cycle timing as the iPhone 4S released nearly 4 months later than usual, resulting in pent-up demand among potential buyers.
Also, Apple touted the 25 million users who upgraded to iOS 5 over the weekend. Apple’s senior VP of Worldwide Product Marketing, Phillip Schiller, mentioned in Apple’s press release the combination of iOS 5, iCloud and the 4s have resulted in “the best iPhone ever.”
Schiller is probably right, especially if you’re an Apple shareholder. However, if you’re an Apple critic, and one of the many who proclaimed the 4S a disappointment after its underwhelming announcement, Apple’s sales numbers have resulted in a giant serving of humble pie.
Source: Apple
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