Apple notched a record 2 million pre-orders
for its iPhone 5 in the first 24 hours the smartphone was on sale,
the company said Monday.
The sales level was more than double the number achieved last year
when Apple released the iPhone 4S, and puts the company in position
to meet expectations of selling more than 10 million of the devices
in its first week on the market.
The new phone, which boasts an improved processor, larger screen
and better camera, among other upgrades, will be available for
purchase Friday. Apple kicked off pre-orders for the device a week
earlier, selling out in the US, Germany, France, Australia, Canada,
Japan, the UK and other launch countries.
"iPhone 5 pre-orders have shattered the previous record held by
iPhone 4S and the customer response to iPhone 5 has been phenomenal,"
said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide
marketing.
