
That figure is not too surprising, however, as the iPhone 4S is now available on three of the major carriers in the U.S.; Sprint, AT&T and Verizon. Last year's June launch was only for A&T.
While the average estimate is for 2.5 million sold, Yankee Group analyst Carl Howe set the high with 4 million.
As with past releases, all Apple stores had lines that filled the block with eager buyers.
The news has sent Apple's stock to within pennies of its all-time high at $422 per share, up 14 percent since the death of founder and former CEO Steve Jobs.