Apple Sells 5 Million iPhones in 3 Days

A week ago, Apple introduced the iPhone 5, the sixth version of its popular smartphone. The initial reactions to Apple’s announcement were mixed, with some being disappointed by the lack of surprises and others praising Apple’s decision to merely refine the iPhone’s proven design. Yesterday, the first official reviews came in and the verdict is overwhelmingly positive.

More importantly, the iPhone 5 appears to be a hit with consumers. According to Apple, the company received more than 2 million pre-orders within 24 hours, shattering the record previously held by the iPhone 4S. This Friday, the new iPhone will hit retailers in nine countries and analysts are expecting an unprecedented run on Apple’s newest gadget.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster predicts that Apple could sell between 6 and 10 million iPhones this weekend, which would give a significant boost to Apple’s results for the September quarter. It looks like Apple’s decision to move the iPhone’s launch to September could turn out to be a smart one, as it will likely help the company to avoid the negative press associated with another “disappointing” quarter.