iPad Launch Bears Fruit as Apple Sells 3 Million Units in First Weekend

Apple Inc. on Monday said it sold 3 million iPads in the first three days of its launch of the iPad mini and fourth-generation model of its original-format iPad.

Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple (IW 500/9) said demand for the iPad mini "exceeded the initial supply," meaning some orders will be delayed until later this month.

Apple did not break down precise sales of the mini -- the 7.9-inch tablet that joins several other small-format tablets -- and the new iPad, which has a 10-inch screen.

"Customers around the world love the new iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad," Apple CEO Tim Cook asserted in a statement.

"We set a new-launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad minis. We're working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand."

Both iPad mini and the new fourth-generation iPad were launched Friday in 34 countries.

The iPad mini weighs .68 pounds, 53% lighter than Apple's third-generation iPad. It is .28 inches thick, 23% thinner than the original iPad and thinner than a pencil.

The iPad mini with Wi-Fi connectivity and 16 gigabytes of memory costs $329; the 32-GB model sells for $429 and the 64-GB version for $529. It is more expensive than rivals from Google, Amazon and other makers.

Apple Senior Vice President for Marketing Phil Schiller helped unveil the iPad mini, insisting that it is an entirely new design and not "just a shrunken-down iPad."

Like later versions of the original iPad, the new Apple tablet features rear- and front-facing cameras, and also has stereo speakers.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2012