Apple sold more than 4 million iPhone 4S units during its first weekend in release.
That surpasses estimates by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, who predicted in an Oct. 14 research note the company would sell between 2 million and 2.5 million units during that same period, including the 1 million preorders. Certainly, lines formed at Apple stores throughout the country, as customers queued up to obtain the latest iPhone.
Munster had based that number on historical trends for iPhone sales. "We surveyed 550 people at Apple stores regarding iPhone 4S purchasing patterns," he wrote in that note, "and we compare the results with similar surveys conducted at every iPhone launch."
Now, in an updated Oct. 17 research note, Munster believes that those 4 million units are a harbinger of a better-than-expected quarter for Apple: "Based on launch sales, we think 60 percent y/y growth for the Dec.-11 quarter will prove to be conservative despite the fact that launch figures are not a perfect apples-to-apples comparison."
The iPhone 4S resembles the iPhone 4, albeit with significant under-the-hood tweaks to its hardware and software. The smartphone also comes preloaded with iOS 5, a significant upgrade of the company's mobile operating system, in addition to Siri, a digital assistant of sorts that responds vocally to spoken questions, and will even act upon requests such as, Send a text to my brother.
Researchers have busied themselves with breakdowns of the new device s hardware: IHS iSuppli, for one, recently revealed that the iPhone 4S camera module is apparently unique to smartphones.
To read the original eWeek article, click here:
Apple iPhone 4S Sells 4 Million Units in First Weekend
