iPhone 5 sales blast past 5m in opening weekend

Apple sold over five million iPhone 5 handsets in the first weekend of sales, the company has announced, with the entire first batch of devices snatched up by shoppers. "While we have sold out of our initial supply," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement today, "stores continue to receive iPhone 5 shipments regularly and customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date."

"We appreciate everyone's patience and are working hard to build enough iPhone 5s for everyone" Cook concluded.

Demand for the iPhone 5 was already expected to be strong, with Apple revealing that over 2m preorders were placed in the first 24hrs of availability last week. Despite online sales, however, queues still formed outside of brick & mortar Apple Stores in major cities, with the iPhone 5 going on sale in several locations in North America, Europe, and Asia.

While Apple scrambles to produce more iPhone 5 units, the next phase of the smartphone's roll-out fast approaches. 22 more countries will get the handset on September 28, with Apple promising over 100 countries will have the iPhone 5 by the end of 2012.

More on the iPhone 5 in our full review.