iPhone 6 Breaks Apple Pre-Sale Record: 4 Million In 24 Hours

Pent-up demand for a larger iPhone seems to have driven Apple to a new opening day pre-sale record. The company announced Monday morning that in the first 24 hours of ordering, the iPhone 6 and iPhone Plus models pre-sold over 4 million units. Consumers quickly went through Apple/s allotted pre-order supply that could be delivered on launch day, Sept. 19. While limited quantities of the devices will be available to line-waiters worldwide this Friday morning, online ordering is now backed up into October deliveries for most models. Demand for the super-sized 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus model appears to be especially strong, as those models sold out the initial supply within hours last week.

And the online rush caused unprecedented problems at Apple.com’s ordering system. The store was down for extended periods throughout the day. Communications between Apple and its carrier partners to determine upgrade eligibility were disrupted.

The iPhone 6 comes after years of Apple resisting market pressure to enlarge its phones. Most Android phones, especially 5-inch and larger units from chief rival Samsung, were embraced by consumers. Apple has also included in these models technology like near-field Communications (NFC) as well as its own Apple Pay wallet and payment system, which other manufacturers have included but with limited market impact. Some analysts argue that Apple’s entry into the mobile payments market with a large installed base of compatible phones will help the new mode of retail payment get some traction at last.

Samsung, which vies with Apple as the world’s leading handset maker, was quick to counter Apple's big PR win last week with a series of mocking online video spots. The company ridiculed its rival for everything from copying a phablet phone size it pioneered years ago to the botched video streaming of the Apple announcement last week.

In the U.S., Apple has over 41% of the smartphone market compared to Samsung’s 26%, according to comScore in June. 

1 comment about "iPhone 6 Breaks Apple Pre-Sale Record: 4 Million In 24 Hours".
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  1. Brooke Molineaux from ASU, September 16, 2014 at 1:42 a.m.

    As the last paragraph mentions, Apple is the leading company in the smartphone market. They take have 41% o all smartphone business in America. Many other smartphone companies’ badmouth and mock Apple and their products but Apple has continuously proven to be the prominent company in this industry. Apples way of advertising and marketing their products is simple, clean and to the point. Consumers know what to expect in an ad from Apple. The iPhone 6 and 6 plus has set a record selling over 4 million in the first 24 hours of pre sale. This is due to the fact that Apple stays very consistent with their products making them reliable and always updating the functions and features. I have been a customer of Apple even before the very first iPhone came out and ever since, I have never owned another type of smart phone. Apple has given myself and my family such great customer service that no matter the circumstance, we know we can rely on the genius bar or any Apple employee to solve any issues we may encounter. It is that amazing customer service and product that keeps their customers so loyal and this is the very reason that this company has become one of the biggest in the world, let alone country. The most exciting thing aside from getting the newest and greatest device is getting to update the new software that they are continuously revamping and improving. Apple is a company that I see changing the world of technology forever.

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