Pocket-lint reports that UK wireless provider Orange is claiming that it has sold over 30,000 iPhones as of 4:00 p.m. on launch day for the carrier, reportedly smashing records for one-day mobile phone sales. The news comes via a Twitter post from Conor Maples, a member of Orange's communications team.
Orange UK had sold more than 30k iPhones,smashing what we believe is the previously published first day sales records for a phone in the UK!
It is unclear what Orange considered to be the previous record. TechRadar notes that O2, the initial exclusive iPhone provider, was rumored to have sold 8,000 original iPhones at its November 2007 launch, but an O2 spokesperson reported that the number was substantially higher without providing a more specific count.
Orange announced in late September plans to begin offering the iPhone in the UK, ending O2 and Apple's exclusive relationship there. The following day, Vodafone also revealed plans to begin offering the iPhone in the UK, although it will not begin doing so until early next year.
