Apple released first-day pre-order numbers, and it dubbed them good.
According to the official announcement, people pre-ordered four million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus phones in the first 24 hours for a “record” high. Demand has already outstripped pre-order supply, says the tech company, as many pre-orders now list an October ship date.
Customers who got their device requests in quickly, however, will see the large Apple phones arrive as early as this Friday, September 19.
But for all Apple’s gushing about early sales, it’s tough to determine whether the new phones have actually beaten pre-orders of last year’s flagship, the iPhone 5S. The latter device sold nine million units in the first weekend, and while the company moved four million of the new flagships in one day, that’s not exactly an apples to apples comparison. The company also didn’t separate numbers for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, rather it lumped them in together.
So it doesn’t look too likely that either device topped the previous phone, and it’s not clear yet whether, as a group, the new phones have either. Still, the figures are enough for Apple to proclaim its gamble on giant iPhones a success.
Next up: The major update to its mobile software, iOS 8, heads to the public in two days. When it launches on September 17, people with devices as old as the iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPad mini and iPod touch (fifth generation) and later will be able to download it for free.
Screenshot by Stephanie Chan for ReadWrite
