iPhone 5 Sales in China

Apple has sold more than 2 million units of the iPhone 5 in China, setting a new record for best first-weekend sales in the country.

"Customer response to iPhone 5 in China has been incredible," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. "China is a very important market for us and customers there cannot wait to get their hands on Apple products."

Locals responded to the smartphone with less enthusiasm than in previous years, according to the the Wall Street Journal. The news is a turnaround for Apple, which saw its stock drop 4% in early trading on Friday, falling to as low as $509 a share over concerns about low demand for the iPhone 5 in China.

"Apple's flagship store in Beijing's upscale Sanlitun shopping district began selling the iPhone 5 for the first time on Friday in what was arguably the least eventful launch of an Apple device in the company's four-year history in the Chinese capital."

Three days after the iPhone 5's initial launch on Sept. 21, Apple announced that it sold more than 5 million units of the device, which was then available in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK.

The company also reported that demand for the iPhone 5 exceeded its "initial supply." Apple's flagship smartphone, which features a 4-inch Retina display, is its thinnest and lightest ever.

Considering earlier negative reports, are you surprised by Apple's successful iPhone 5 launch in China? Discuss in the comments below.