Apple sold 9m of its latest iPhones over the launch weekend, up from 5m last year and a higher number than analysts had expected.
苹果(Apple)在新款iPhone发布后的首个周末共售出900万部这种智能手机，高于去年的500万部，也高于分析师早前的预期。
The figures, boosted by the inclusion of China in the launch, may ease investors’ concerns over the pricing of the cheaper iPhone and customer response to iOS 7, the most radical makeover of Apple’s mobile operating system in years.
这一数据受中国被纳入首发市场推动，它可能有助于缓解投资者对于廉价版iPhone定价策略以及顾客对iOS 7（苹果移动操作系统多年来最重大的一次改变）反应的担忧。
The figures came as Microsoft prepared to launch its latest iPad rival, the Surface 2, and UK retailer Tesco announced its own tablet, the Hudl. Apple is rumoured to be releasing a new iPad next month.
这些数据公布之际，正值微软(Microsoft)准备推出与iPad竞争的最新产品Surface 2，英国零售商特易购(Tesco)也宣布了自己的平板电脑Hudl。有传言称，苹果将于下月发布新一代iPad产品。
Strong smartphone sales prompted Apple to upgrade its financial guidance for the fourth quarter. It said sales would be “near the high end” of its guidance range of $34bn-$37bn, compared with consensus estimates of $36.1bn, with gross margin at the upper end of its 36 per cent to 37 per cent forecast, which analysts said implied higher than consensus earnings.
智能手机的强劲销售数据促使苹果上调了第四季度的财务预期。该公司表示，销售额将接近其340亿至370亿美元预测区间的“高端”，而市场的共识预测值为361亿美元；毛利率也将处于该公司给出的36%至37%预测区间的高端，分析师表示这意味着苹果的利润将高于市场共识预期。
More than 200m people had upgraded their existing iPhones to iOS 7, Apple said. That is twice as many as downloaded its predecessor in its first few days a year ago, when Apple suffered a backlash against its new Maps app.
苹果表示，超过2亿人将自己现有的iPhone升级到了iOS 7操作系统。这相当于一年前iOS 6新推出后几天内下载量的两倍，当时苹果的新地图应用大受批评。
Tim Cook, Apple chief executive, hailed the company’s “best iPhone launch yet” with “a new record for first weekend sales”.
苹果首席执行官蒂姆•库克(Tim Cook)欢呼称，这是该公司“迄今最棒的iPhone新品发布”，并刷新了“发布后首个周末的销售纪录”。
Analysts at Barclays said that Apple rarely, if ever, updated its sales guidance before the end of a quarter, sending a confident signal and implying that its forecast of 29m iPhone sales for the period may be conservative.
巴克莱(Barclays)的分析师表示，苹果很少在季末之前上调销售指引，因此此举发出一个充满信心的信号，并表明该公司给出的第四季度销售2900万台iPhone的预测或许过于保守。
Barclays said in a note to ­clients yesterday: “We had thought the iPhone number would be smaller given the breadth of the rollout to new geographies and the limited supply stemming from difficulty in assembling the phone with the fingerprint sensor – but this doesn’t seem to be the case.”
巴克莱在昨日发给客户的一份备忘录中写道：“我们曾认为，iPhone的销售数据将低于当前水平，因为纳入首发的新市场数量较少，而组装带有指纹识别器的手机难度较大，进而导致供应受限——但实际情况似乎并非如此。”
The iPhone 5s, which includes a fingerprint reader and new gold colour, has been in short supply since Friday’s launch, while the plastic 5c is still available for a cheaper $99, with a contract in the US.
iPhone 5s内含指纹识别装置，并有一款金色的新机型。金色款自上周五首发以来一直缺货。而塑料机身的5c仍然有货，其在美国的合约价相对较低，为99美元。
Analysts had been concerned after the 5c’s unveiling this month that its unsubsidised price of $550 in the US, and $700 in China, would be too expensive to win over new customers in emerging markets. Apple sold 2m iPhone 5 units in China on the first day there.
分析师们在5c本月面世之后一直担心，其无合约版在美国高达550美元、在中国高达700美元的定价，对于在新兴市场争取新顾客来说或许过于昂贵。苹果的iPhone 5在中国上市首日共售出了200万台。
Apple shares were 3.8 per cent higher at $485.06 in afternoon New York trading.
苹果股价在纽约股市午盘交易时段上涨了3.8%，至485.06美元。