NEW YORK — One million iPhones were sold in the three days following the release of the latest model in a "stunning opening weekend," Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs announced Monday.

The iPhone 3G model was launched simultaneously Friday in 21 countries, including the U.S. and Canada.

Tens of thousands of the phones were sold in Canada, said Liz Hamilton, a spokesperson for Rogers Wireless Rogers Wireless (TSX:RCI.B). The company has the only network in the country capable of running the new phone.

Hamilton said Rogers would not release the exact number of phones sold, due to competitive reasons, but said virtually all of the 1,000 Canadian locations stocking the phones were sold out.

However, the launch was not without some problems.

All the new iPhones had to connect to Apple's servers for activation, which quickly overloaded them. Lines of customers built in stores as employees were unable to get the phones working.

Additionally, new software was released for the old iPhone, which required reactivation of those phones. Many owners of the older phone were left with unusable units.

In Toronto, about 150 people stood in drizzling rain Friday to await the early opening of one Rogers store, where only 20 of the 16 gigabyte and 80 of the eight gigabyte versions of the phones were on hand.

Apple has said its goal is to sell 10 million iPhones in 2008.

Research In Motion's (TSX:RIM) BlackBerry and Apple's iPhone are competing against each other, and other smartphone makers, in both the consumer and business markets. RIM recently said it will ship its 40 millionth BlackBerry smartphone this summer.

The new iPhone costs $200 and uses 3G wireless technology on a GSM network, which is widely used in Europe and Asia, comprising about 70 per cent of the global market.

With files from The Canadian Press