Apple has sold over five million new iPhones just three days after the iPhone 5 was launched on September 21, the U.S. electronics giant said on Monday.
“Demand for the iPhone 5 has been incredible, and we are working hard to get an iPhone 5 into the hands of every customer who wants one as quickly as possible,” Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said.
The iPhone 5, which is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than its immediate predecessor, boasts a four-inch screen with a 1,136 by 640 pixel resolution. The iPhone 5 also boasts faster Wi-Fi and a faster Apple A6 processor, the company said.
The iPhone family accounts for half of Apple's revenue and the majority of its profit.
The iPhone 5 is currently available in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom, and is due to be launched in 22 more countries on September 28, finally becoming available in over 100 countries by the end of the year.
“While we have sold out of our initial supply, stores continue to receive iPhone 5 shipments regularly, and customers can order online and receive an estimated delivery date. We appreciate everyone’s patience and are working hard to build enough iPhone 5s for everyone,” Cook said.
Sales of the new iPhone could add between 0.25 percent and 0.5 percent to fourth quarter annualized GDP growth in the United States, J.P. Morgan's Chief Economist Michael Feroli said in a note to clients.
Feroli added he expected Apple to sell 8 million iPhone 5s before the end of the year.
