Millions Sold in First 24 Hours, iPhone 12 Demand Shatters Expectations

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Apple recently began accepting pre-orders for its iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. Early sales were brisk, with some models selling out on the first day.

Now, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, sales of the iPhone 12 exceeded expectations, potentially selling millions of handsets in the first 24 hours.

Kuo’s latest report claims Apple likely sold between 1.7 and 2 million iPhones in the first 24 hours of pre-ordering. This figure doubles the estimated 500K to 800K that Apple sold last year when the iPhone 11 launched. 

This multi-million start to the iPhone 12 is impressive. Still, it doesn’t come close to the 4 million iPhone 6 units Apple sold a few years back.

However, Kuo points out that only half the iPhone 12 models (the iPhone 12  and iPhone 12 Pro) are on sale.

The other two models, the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, are not supposed to go on sale until November 6. 

Kuo says sales right now are split between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. The standard model is selling as expected, while the Pro model sales are higher than expected. This is surprising when you consider how similar the two phones are in features. The more expensive Pro model only has a handful of extras such as a telephoto lens, LiDAR scanner, camera features (Apple ProRAW and Night mode portraits), among others. 

Going forward, Kuo predicts the bulk of the iPhone sales will be split between the iPhone 12 (30-35%) and the iPhone 12 Pro (30-35%). The remainder will be shared by the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 12 Max. 

Apple’s explosion in sales may be driven by 5G technology. Wireless 5G connectivity is expanding in the United States and around the world. It only makes sense that consumers want a phone that’s compatible with the latest in wireless technology.  Apple may also be helped by the US export ban on Huawei smartphones. This ban stops Huawei from selling its phones with Android or Google Apps installed. 

Ahead of the iPhone 12, Apple’s new MagSafe chargers have started to ship.  This new magnetic charger may arrive to some customers before the iPhones are slated to be delivered on Friday.

Some people who pre-ordered are reporting their phones have shipped, but Apple’s delivery contract prevents the phones from being delivered ahead of schedule. 

Apple started accepting pre-orders of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro last Friday, October 16. This first wave of orders will arrive on Friday, October 23, when the phones go on sale in retail stores. The iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini pre-orders are slated to begin on November 6.  

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