Two weeks ago Apple announced the new iPad mini and the refreshed iPad with Retina display (aka iPad 4). Last Friday both these products went on sale in 34 countries. Based on the lack of long lines, some people (including myself) predicted the iPad mini may be a failure. Turns out people will indeed buy whatever Apple throws at them — 3 million people (assuming one device per person), in fact.

Apple has announced that it sold 3 million iPad minis and iPad 4s on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, a new record that surpasses the 1.5 million iPad 3 (the “new iPad”) sales record set earlier this year. (In all fairness to iPad 3, it was launched in 15 markets only whereas Friday’s launch of iPad mini and iPad 4 was in 34 markets.) While Tim Cook did say they are “practically sold out of iPad minis”, Apple is being very coy and not breaking down of that 3 million how many are iPad mini and how many are iPad 4, so we don’t know exactly how big of a hit (or lack thereof) the iPad mini is. Seeing as Apple is always quick to provide sales number when sales go well (which, for Apple, is always), my guess is one of the products — either iPad mini or iPad 4 — didn’t sell very well while the other sold extremely well, and Apple doesn’t want to cast a shadow over the not-doing-so-well product by breaking down the sales on a per-product basis.

Whatever the case may be, despite not having per-product sales numbers, 3 million tablet sales in three days is a staggering amount no mater how you look at it. The kicker? The 3G/4G versions of the iPad mini and iPad 4 are not even out yet (WiFi only versions were available over the weekend), so sales should only increase in the near future.

[via Engadget]