iPhone 3GS shipments still strong after all these years

The iPhone 3GS is still seeing strong sales.

(Credit: Apple)

Apple's iPhone 3GS might be a little old for an early adopter's liking, but the smartphone is still selling quite well, a new report claims.

By the end of the fourth quarter, Apple will ship 2 million iPhone 3GS units worldwide, DigiTimes is reporting, citing "industry sources." The Cupertino, Calif.-based company will then follow that up with 1.4 million to 1.6 million iPhone 3GS shipments next quarter, the sources say.

DigiTimes' report on the success of the iPhone 3GS seems to fall in line with what analysts have been saying. Research firm NPD reported last month that the iPhone 3GS was the second most-popular smartphone in the U.S. during the third quarter, beating out the HTC Evo 4G, Motorola Droid 3, and others. Only the iPhone 4 bested its sales.

That status came before the iPhone 4S launched. And the iPhone 3GS, which launched in 2009, has now been relegated to the back of the iPhone pack. But Apple's decision to offer the smartphone for free to AT&T customers seems to be paying off.