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The newly announced iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus smartphones have set a new Apple record of more than 4 million devices being preordered in advance of their initial release, while also causing the company to advise customers that many devices won’t be delivered until October due to overwhelming demand.
The record-breaking first-day preorder tally for the devices was announced by Apple on Sept. 15, along with advisories about eventual delivery times and apparent delays that will mean that all U.S. customers who want them won’t be able to get them when they go on sale Sept. 19.
“Demand for the new iPhones exceeds the initial preorder supply, and while a significant amount will be delivered to customers beginning on Friday and throughout September, many iPhone preorders are scheduled to be delivered in October,” the company announced in a statement.
Supplies of the phones will also be available to walk-in customers on Friday, Sept. 19 at 8 a.m. local time at Apple retail stores, as long as the supplies last, the company said. “Customers are encouraged to arrive early or order online from the Apple Online Store to pick up in-store or receive an estimated delivery date. Both models will also be available on Friday from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select Apple Authorized Resellers.”
In addition to U.S. customers, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus buyers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the United Kingdom will also be able to try to buy the new phones on Sept. 19. Buyers in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates will have to wait to try to buy the new devices starting Sept. 26, according to Apple.
An Apple spokesperson declined to comment to eWEEK in response to a request for more details about the pending launch of the new phones.
The new iPhones include the iPhone 6 with its 4.7-inch Retina HD display and an even larger iPhone 6 Plus with its 5.5-inch Retina HD screen, according to a recent eWEEK report. The new devices—which come in 16, 64 and 128GB storage capacities—will also come with many other new features and capabilities, making them popular before they’ve even hit store shelves.
The new phones also include an Apple-designed A8 chip with second-generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture, enhanced iSight and FaceTime HD cameras and the latest iOS 8 operating system. A new, built-in Apple Pay secure payments system will be added to iOS8 as an update in October, according to the company.
Last week, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless announced their plans on how customers can obtain the larger, more fully featured phones directly through those carriers, according to an earlier eWEEK report. The offerings are similar, but vary by company and smartphone plans.
All four also set up preordering processes for the new devices so that customers can reserve their new iPhones. The basic device prices for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets are the same for all four companies and from Apple, as well, but each vendor offers differences, including monthly payment plans that allow users to spread the cost of the phones over a longer period, making them more affordable.
Both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in gold, silver or space gray. The iPhone 6 retails for $199.99 for a 16GB version, $299.99 for a 64GB version or $399 for a 128GB version with a two-year contract. The iPhone 6 Plus retails for $299.99 for a 16GB model, $399.99 for a 64GB model or $499.99 for a 128GB model with a two-year contract, according to Apple. The phones will also be sold through select Apple Authorized Resellers, including Best Buy, Target and Walmart.