By Michael Calia
Apple Inc. said Monday that it sold more than four million of
its new iPhone 6 models in the first 24 hours, a figure the company
dubbed a record, while many customers who preordered the device
will have to wait until October to get it.
The demand for the new smartphones exceeded the initial supply,
the company added, and "a significant amount" of the phones would
be delivered to customers Friday and throughout the rest of
September.
Apple also said additional supply will be available to walk-in
customers at 8 a.m. local time Friday at its retail stores.
"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," the company said.
Apple isn't the only company with a lot riding on the new
phone's launch. Wireless carriers are pursuing iPhone users with
aggressive promotions and incentives. Verizon is offering free
iPhone 6 devices to customers who trade in their old iPhone and
sign a two-year contract, for instance, while Sprint is cutting the
price of its unlimited data plan for iPhone 6 users.
As of Friday, Verizon customers had to wait until the end of
October for their preorders, and AT&T Inc. customers were told
they'd have to wait until November.
Apple said Monday that some physical inventory of the new phones
also will be available Friday from T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon and
AT&T, Apple said. AT&T had said Friday that its first day
of preorders for the new iPhones broke the company's own iPhone
sales record.
Retailers, meanwhile, are looking to the new iPhones and
Samsung's new devices to goose flagging electronics sales heading
into the holiday-shopping season. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., for
example, will be selling certain types of the new iPhones for $20
less than other sellers.
Apple unveiled the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus last week. The
iPhone 6 features a 4.7-inch screen, while the iPhone 6 Plus offers
a 5.5-inch screen. Prices for the new phones start at $199.
Frenzied preorder periods are nothing new for the iPhone. Two
years ago, when Apple launched iPhone 5, there were indications
that the phone sold out about an hour after preorders started, with
estimated shipping dates getting further out from the original
street date.
Write to Michael Calia at michael.calia@wsj.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires