"The fact that the iPhone 5 is doing as well as it is opposed to other phones is a tribute to
The analyst dismissed efforts by Apple adversary Samsung to poke fun at iPhone fanatics and the lack of innovative handset features in print and
Aspiring iPhone 5 owners started a queue outside the
Apple shares broke the $700 mark this week and stood at $701.60 in after-market trade on Wednesday.
The iPhone 5, with a bigger screen and slimmer body, was quickly branded by analysts as a sure hit.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook called the launch "the biggest thing to happen to iPhone since the iPhone."
The California company called the iPhone 5 "the thinnest smartphone in the world," with a glass and aluminum body that is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than iPhone 4S.
The new iPhone has a rich four-inch (10-centimeter) display prime for the red-hot smartphone market, in which screen size is a key factor for buyers.
The iPhone 5 will debut Friday in the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
Pricing for US customers will start at $199 with a two-year telecom service contract.
Apple earlier rolled out its new iOS 6 mobile gadget operating system with new features, including a custom mapping service branded a disappointment by some reviewers.
"Seems pretty clear the new Maps is going to be the biggest problem with iOS 6," Apple fan John Gruber wrote on his Daring Fireball blog.
"It'll be interesting to see how long it takes for Google to release a standalone Google Maps apps in the iOS App Store."
Apple's custom mapping program replaced Google Maps in the operating system.
An iPhone change with the potential to irk fans is a new "Lightning" connector to replace 30-pin connections, the piece that connects devices to computers, power outlets or docking stations.
Apple will sell adaptors for plugging new generation iPhone and iPod touch devices into accessories already owned, such as stereo speakers or car sound systems.
The big-screen
"Apple is meeting all expectations," analyst Baker said. "Everything was getting great reviews until they started rolling out iOS 6 today."
The US Federal Trade Commission warned that scammers were already seeking to cash in on
