Apple has officially announced that it has sold over nine million units of the new iPhones in the first weekend.
The company launched the much-awaited iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C on Sept. 10 and the latest smartphones went up for sale on Sept. 20. Just three days after, the company announced it achieved sales of nine million units globally.
"This is our best iPhone launch yet-more than nine million new iPhones sold-a new record for first weekend sales," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we've sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5s, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly. We appreciate everyone's patience and are working hard to build enough new iPhones for everyone."
The company also took the opportunity to announce that more than 200 million iOS devices are now running on the latest iOS 7 released on Sept. 18. Apple also claims that the completely redesigned iOS 7 has become the fastest software upgrade in history.
The new handsets have made their way to various countries globally, including the U.S. Canada, Australia, China, UK and many more. Both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are currently available via major carriers in the U.S., Apple Online Store, Apple Stores and select Apple authorized retailers.
Previously, the company only launched a premium iPhone and that was only available in two colors: white and black. However, in 2013 Apple has launched the top-end iPhone 5S as well as the budget iPhone 5C with more options. The iPhone 5S is available in three colors: gold, silver or space gray, which have a starting price tag of $199 on a two-year contract. Meanwhile, the iPhone 5C is available in an array of bright colors such as blue, green, pink, yellow and white and in the U.S., and the smartphone has a starting retail price of $99 on a two-year contract.
The iPhone 5C is mainly designed for upcoming markets, aiming to attract customers who want to experience the iPhone but at a relatively low cost.
It's only been three days and the company has already reached a sales record and undoubtedly, the handsets will achieve bigger milestones in the near term.
