The iPhone 4S is on pace to become Apple's highest-selling smartphone ever, as customers fed up with BlackBerry and Android phones flock to the device.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company sold four million units of the iPhone 4S over the weekend. Analysts said sales of the 4S easily outpace its predecessors, largely because the device launched on three major carriers in the U.S., AT&T, Verizon and now Sprint.
Sprint reported its best day of sales in retail, Web and telesales in the company's history, thanks to the 4S. The carrier said it broke its sales records by 1 p.m., and the performance of the device exceeded expectations. The strong sales are good news for Sprint, which mortgaged its future on the success of the iPhone on its network.
AT&T activated a record number of iPhones on the network by the end of the afternoon on Friday. The company said it was on track to double its previous record for activations in a single day. The incredibly high volume of customers getting the 4S slowed down the activation process, but AT&T said its system ran at a record level of efficiency.
The success of Apple's 4S comes as the company's rivals face new challenges, making the next-generation iPhone an even more attractive option for consumers.
Research In Motion's server issues caused an Internet outage for BlackBerry users across the world. The outages began in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and eventually spread to North America on the third consecutive day of interruptions. For many customers, RIM's latest problems were the last straw, causing them to jump to the iPhone this weekend, according to Reuters.
Google's Android devices continue to oppose Apple's iPhone most strongly in the mobile market, but the platform's public issues with malware and fragmentation also fueled customers to make the switch to iOS, according to reports.
The 4S is off to a great start in sales, and if it can keep up the momentum, will easily become Apple's most successful iPhone yet.
