Cupertino, Calif. – Apple sold out of its initial supply of iPhone 5 smartphones because of record-breaking three-day sales, the company announced.
“While we have sold out of our initial supply, stores continue to receive iPhone 5 shipments regularly, and customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
“The majority of pre-orders” have been shipped to consumers, but “many” iPhone 5 models will ship in October, Cook added.
“Demand for 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.” Cook continued.
Apple sold more than 5 million iPhone 5 smartphones in the device’s first three days of availability, up from more than 4 million iPhone 4S models sold last year in its first three days of availability, Apple said.
The company broke its previous launch record in part because the iPhone 5 launched simultaneously last Friday in nine countries, whereas the iPhone 4S launched simultaneously in seven countries.
The iPhone 4S launched last year on Friday, Oct. 14, in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the U.K. The iPhone 5 launched Friday in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the U.K. The iPhone 5 will be available in 22 more countries on Sept. 28 and more than 100 countries by the end of the year.
Apple also announced that more than 100 million iOS devices worldwide have been updated with iOS 6.
In the U.S., the iPhone 5 became available Sept. 21 in 356 Apple stores, U.S. carrier stores, and select Best Buy, RadioShack, Target and Walmart stores and select Apple authorized resellers.
