Apple pre-orders for its iPhone 5 topped two million in just 24 hours, more than double the previous record of one million held by iPhone 4S. During the product launch address last week, Philip Schiller, senior vice president Worldwide Marketing for Apple, reminded listeners that at the time of the original iPhone launch in 2007, Time Magazine called the product, “The phone that has changed phones forever.” Last week, at the company’s special event, Schiller introduced the iPhone 5 calling it, “The most beautiful product that we have ever made.”
The phone, made of glass and aluminum is the lightest and thinnest smartphone to date and weighs just 112 grams. With a 326 pixels per inch (PPI) display and 44 percent more color saturation, it is, according to Schiller, “The world’s most advanced display.” Schiller walked through key features from its thinner, lighter design, Retina display, and performance and speed, to its camera, improved battery life and new iOS 6 platform.
The announcement that might be less enthusiastically received is the iPhone 5’s charging connector. Schiller explains that the current connector design was launched in 2003 and says, “So much has changed since then. It is time for the connector to evolve.” Schiller announced that the new connector is called “Lightning” and is “a connector for the next decade.” Schiller goes on to describe its all-digital, 8-signal design, that it has improved durability, that it is reversible, making it easier to use and is 80 percent smaller. This translates to accessory makers needing to alter product designs to accommodate the change. It also means users that already own connectors, speakers, and devices, will need to purchase adapter accessories from Apple to convert the old style connector devices to the new connector design or purchase all new speakers, clock radios and the like. If the reaction of the two million placing pre-orders on Friday in the opening 24-hour period is any indication, Apple iPhone enthusiasts don’t seem to mind.
One online company has tried to gauge the extent iPhone fever runs by polling nearly 2,000 U.S. visitors to its CouponCodes4u site. Respondents were asked whether they could afford to purchase the latest Apple gadgets and whether or not they have gone into debt to do so. Eighty-one percent of respondents admitted that they could not afford to “keep up with the latest” Apple releases and have purchased gadgets on “credit”. More than half, 51 percent, of respondents said they had used a credit card or got a loan out in the last three years so they could be amongst the first to buy the latest iPad and iPhone.
During the iPhone 5 event last week, Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, took advantage of the gathering to comment on Apple’s other device darling, the iPad. According to Cook, from April to June 2012 figures show 68 percent of the worldwide tablet market share belongs to Apple. He further cited the usage statistic claiming 91 percent of all tablet web traffic. Cook also stated, 94 percent of Fortune 500 companies are testing or deploying the iPad and believes, “The enterprise is also investing in custom apps at a high rate.”
Cook told the audience that last quarter the company sold its 400 millionth iOS device (through June 2012), exclaiming, “No one could have predicted this.”
I doubt anyone predicted two million pre-orders on the first day of advanced sales, either.
iPhone 5 carries a suggested retail price of $199 (U.S.) for the 16GB model and $299 (U.S.) for the 32GB model and $399 (U.S.) for the 64GB model. While a shortage is now predicted, the device is scheduled to be available in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the U.K. on Friday, Sept. 21. iPhone 4S will now be available for just $99 (U.S.) and iPhone 4 will be available for free with a two-year contract for most carriers. iOS 6 software is available as of today as a free software update.