UPDATE: Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) said this morning that it sold more than one million iPhone 3GS models in the first three days, and in addition, six million customers have downloaded the new iPhone 3.0 software in the first five days. No word on how many iPhone 3Gs, which were marked down to a very affordable $99, the company sold. There’s now at least 23 million iPhones sold.

The blockbuster weekend was unexpected with analysts estimating half as many devices as being sold. In a release, Steve Jobs made his first statement since going on medical leave: “Customers are voting and the iPhone is winning. With over 50,000 applications available from Apple’s revolutionary App Store, iPhone momentum is stronger than ever.” Over the weekend, reports said Jobs had been treated for a liver transplant two months ago.

Lines for the new iPhone 3G S that went on sale Friday morning were smaller than anticipated, reports the WSJ.com. It’s been widely noted that the new model isn’t that much of a leap from the iPhone 3G—it’s speedier, more memory, longer battery life and some new features like video recording capability. But if users can live without all that, they can actually opt for iPhone 3G for $99.

Overall, it looks like analysts agreed that turn out would be smaller. Hudson Square Research, however, took a survey of 9 retail stores, and found that while lines were shorter, they found more new customers to the Iphone that they initially expected. As for those changing carriers, their findings were “mixed.” Still, they anticipate 500,000 devices will have been sold, in line with Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster’s estimates, and those from Morgan Keegan.

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