iPhone 3G S sales exceed 1 million in first weekend

Apple announced sales of its new iPhone 3G S topped the 1 million mark on Sunday, the third day the latest edition of the touchscreen device was available at retail. In addition, the computing giant reported that 6 million customers have downloaded the new iPhone 3.0 OS software in the first five days since its release on Wednesday. Last week, Piper Jaffray senior research analyst Gene Munster forecast the iPhone 3G S would sell 500,000 units in its first weekend, about half as many units as Apple moved the weekend of July 11, 2008, when the iPhone 3G first hit retail. Munster's prediction noted that the 3G went on sale in 21 international markets, while the 3G S launched in just eight, making the official sales total that much more impressive.

Apple announced the iPhone 3G S earlier this month in conjunction with the kickoff of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Promising improved speed and performance, longer battery life, a 3 megapixel camera, video recording and hands-free voice control, the iPhone 3G S (the "S" is for "speed") boasts more than 100 new features including Cut, Copy and Paste, Spotlight Search and landscape keyboard. MMS and data tethering features are also available in some markets, although exclusive U.S. operator partner AT&T won't introduce MMS until late summer, and data tethering is an even bigger question mark.

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