Orders for iPhone 5 top 2M in 24 hours

Associated Press

CUPERTINO, Calif.

Orders for the iPhone 5 topped 2 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 on Friday, buyers who have a two-year service agreement with AT&T, Sprint or Verizon Wireless have been able to order the phone for $199 (16 gigabyte model), $299 (32 GB) or $399 (64 GB model).

Apple said Monday that though most orders will be delivered 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, Calif. company’s stock added 1.2 percent, or $8.50, to close at $699.78 Monday.

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 — 4 inches measured diagonally — that allows room for another row of icons and lets widescreen movies fit better.

The calendar will show five days at a time instead of just three.

Previous iPhone models had 3.5-inch screens.

The new phone also is thinner and weighs less than previous models.

It can operate on LTE cellular networks and sports a new processor and updated software.

T. Michael Walkley, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity, said he believes the iPhone 5’s “differentiated form factor versus the iPhone 4S” and other improvements should drive strong iPhone 5 sales.