iPhone 5 sales soar

CUPERTINO, California (AP):

Orders for the iPhone 5 topped two million in their first 24 hours, more than double the amount of its predecessor over the same period.

Since Apple started taking iPhone 5 orders on its website at 3 a.m. EDT last Friday, buyers who have a two-year service agreement with AT&T, Sprint or Verizon Wireless have been able to order the phone for US$199 (16-gigabyte model), US$299 (32GB) or US$399 (64GB model).

Apple said yesterday that while most orders will be delivered on Friday, demand for the iPhone 5 exceeds the initial supply. As a result, some of the devices are scheduled for delivery in October.

The Cupertino, California, company's stock added 1.2 per cent, or US$8.50, to close at US$699.78 yesterday.

The iPhone 5 represents the first major revision of the iPhone's screen size since the first model was introduced in 2007. The new iPhone has an elongated screen, four inches (10.16 centimetres) measured diagonally - that allows room for another row of icons and lets widescreen movies fit better. The calendar will now show five days at a time instead of just three. Previous iPhone models had 3.5-inch (8.89-centimetre) screens. The new phone is also thinner and weighs less than previous models. It can operate on LTE cellular networks and sports a new processor and updated software.