iPhone 5 has set a new sales record in China, selling 2 million units during its first weekend. The device had already racked up hundreds of thousands of pre-orders before it went on sale in the territory last Thursday (December 13).
“Customer response to iPhone 5 in China has been incredible, setting a new record with the best first weekend sales ever in China,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. “China is a very important market for us and customers there cannot wait to get their hands on Apple products.”
The iPhone passed the sales milestone without the support of China’s biggest service provider China Mobile. China Telecom and China Unicom are the only carriers offering it at present.
China is Apple’s second-biggest market after the US, accounting for 15% (£14.7 billion) of the company’s total income in the fiscal year that ended in September. The iPhone 5 will be available in more than 100 countries by the end of the month.