iPhone 6 Plus Delivery Times Delays, Backorders Hit AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint: Apple Sets Record 4M Pre-Orders

Jay Gotera Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Phil Schiller, Senior Vice President at Apple Inc., speaks about the iPhone 6 (foreground) and the iPhone 6 Plus during an Apple event at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California, on Sept. 9, 2014. (Reuters/Stephen Lam) | Reuters/Stephen Lam

Apple Inc. broke new ground on Tuesday when it logged 4 million first-day pre-orders for its new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The figure was double the number of iPhone 5 first-day pre-orders when it was released in 2012.

Deliveries of pre-orders will begin on Friday, Sept. 19, and will continue until October.

With the latest iPhones' larger screens, longer battery life and innovative new technologies, Apple said worldwide demand is outstripping its supply. Analysts said they expect first-weekend sales of up to 10 million units.

Apple has boasted that its latest smartphone models are packed with "the biggest advancements in iPhone history."

"iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are better in every way, and we are thrilled customers love them as much as we do," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO.

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina® HD displays respectively. Both models are powered by ultrafast wireless technologies, including the Apple-designed A8 chip for "blazing fast performance and power efficiency."

They also include the advanced iSight® and FaceTime® HD cameras, and Apple Payâ„¢, an easy way to simply and securely make payments with just the touch of a finger, Apple said on its website.

The two new iPhone models will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK beginning this Friday, and in more than 20 other countries beginning on Sept. 26.

China, one of Apple's biggest global markets, was conspicuously left out in the company's launch plan. China was initially included on the list of countries that would launch the new iPhones. But China's name was suddenly removed from the list without any explanation from Apple officials.

In the U.S. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available to walk-in customers on Sept. 19 at 8:00 a.m. local time at Apple retail stores. The retailers include AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and select Apple Authorized Resellers.