Analysts see iPhone 5 launch sales hitting up to 10M
updated 04:51 pm EDT, Tue September 11, 2012
Call for 5 million as base amount
Apple could sell as many as 10 million iPhone 5s during the device's launch weekend, according to analysts. The peak figure comes from Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, who estimates that sales will reach at least 6 million. "There is no question iPhone 5 will be the largest consumer electronics launch in history," he claims. "Given the hardware redesign it will likely crush previous iPhone launch sales."
Raymond James director Tavis McCourt is calling for 5 to 6 million phones. "Apple sold 5 million iPhone 4Ss in the first weekend of availability last year, and the iPhone 4 sold 1.7 million," he remarks. "We expect five million to six million to be a reasonable estimate of first-weekend sales for the iPhone 5."
More conservative is Topeka Capital Markets' Brian White. "Given that the iPhone 4S received over 1 million pre-orders in the first 24 hours, we expect at least 1.3 million to 1.5 million pre-orders for the iPhone 5," he says. "Assuming supply chain constraints aren’t a major issue and the seven country rollout ensues, we believe at least 5 million to 5.5 million iPhone 5s can be sold in."
Apple will probably announce early numbers immediately after launch weekend, assuming sales go as planned. A September 21st release date is commonly expected, but Apple will only reveal that information tomorrow.
