iPhone 4S sales could hit 24 million during first quarter, reckons Brigante Advisors analyst Kevin Dede

It hasn't taken long for iPhone 4S's record breaking start to get analysts salivating at the thought of quarter-end sales.

Indeed, according to Kevin Dede of Brigante Advisors, Apple will add a further 20 million sales to the 4 million already sat snugly in consumer's pockets by the end of its first quarter.

That's a stance that stands in opposition to the disappointment the market initially afforded the device after its unveiling.

It appears the opinion of the critics and, most importantly, consumer enthusiasm has changed the mind of many an analyst.

"Positive device reviews in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Boy Genius Report - all of which noted the better-than-expected performance of Siri, Apple's voice-activated digital assistant - and in concert with record setting pre-orders leave us confident that today’s 4S release should be met with fanfare typical of new Apple product," Dede said in an investor note.

As reported by Forbes, Dede's attitude adds to a similar take given by Goldman Sachs analyst Bill Shope on launch day.

"We believe the December quarter could be one for the record books as the company's new iPhone, iOS 5, and iCloud significantly increase the company's momentum," said Shope.

First weekend figures reveal iPhone 4S is currently outselling its predecessor by more than 2:1 at the same stage in its life.

[source: Forbes]