Apple said the iPhone 5 posted record sales in its first weekend of availability in China, the world's largest mobile-phone market by users. Apple sold more than 2 million of its latest handsets in the three days following its Dec. 14 introduction in the country, Apple said in a statement today.

Apple has urged to release sales data of the iPhone 5 in China a few days after Steven Milunovich, an analyst at UBS AG in New York, cut his price estimate for the shares, citing concern that growth may slow for the iPhone and iPad. The iPhone 5 may not sell as well as the previous model in China, Milunovich said in a report.

"Customer response to iPhone 5 in China has been incredible, setting a new record with the best first weekend sales ever in China," said Tim Cook, Apple?s CEO. "China is a very important market for us and customers there cannot wait to get their hands on Apple products."

Apple introduced a registration system that required Chinese buyers to reserve a device online before it could be picked up in Apple stores.