Apple Sets Record-Selling 4 Million iPhones In First 24 Hours

Apple started taking preorders for both models of the iPhone 6 on Friday, and today the company said it hit a new preorder record.

The company had more than 4 million preorders for the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in the first 24 hours after the company started taking them.

"iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are better in every way, and we are thrilled customers love them as much as we do," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a statement. "Preorders for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus set a new record for Apple, and we can't wait to get our best iPhones yet into the hands of customers starting this Friday."

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Both models of Apple's new smartphone will hit stores this Friday, Sept. 19, when both VARs and analysts believe the iPhone frenzy will continue.

"We are seeing very strong orders from our customers who want to preorder for Friday’s launch," Said Steven Kantorowitz, president of CelPro Associates, an Apple partner based in New York. "A lot of enterprise customers have been holding back and waiting for the launch of these devices. They are going to run out of supply on the first day unless Apple manufactured a ton of devices."

There are two models of the new iPhones, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, both of which feature larger screens than the 4.1-inch iPhone 5. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch Retina HD display, while the iPhone 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch Retina HD screen, filling a marketing void that competing vendors held over Apple for years.

"I'm actually not surprised, given the pent-up demand for the larger form factor," said Patrick Moorhead, president and principal Analyst of Moor Insights & Strategy, a leading tech analyst firm based in Austin, Texas. "First of all, consumers were expecting new devices in September or October, and second, rumors of a larger screen kept them from buying iPhones or competing large-screen devices. It is the biggest form factor change to date ever in an iPhone. It has a larger screen, and the step up to 64 GB in storage in the standard model is a great deal."

Moorhead said that the larger screens tap into a new market of users for Apple, but the performance power in the A8 processor in the iPhone 6 is the best feature in the phone, in addition to the storage space. He also said the new camera might be the best in any smartphone.

Apple said the high demand of preorders has exceeded the company's expectations, and exceeded its preorder supply. Because of this, Apple said "a significant amount" of iPhones will be delivered throughout the month of September, with many preorders not being shipped out until October.

Despite the uptick in internal specs, some Apple partners believe consumers are more focused on the larger screens than anything else.

"Based on their announcement, I was expecting [the record preorders]," said Stephen Monteros, vice president of business development and strategic initiatives at SIGMAnet, an Ontario, Calif.-based Apple partner. "Apple revamped the hardware around what people are asking for. The larger screen and the fact that people wanted it is why the demand for the iPhone 6 is so high. People expect the processor to perform well."

PUBLISHED SEPT. 15, 2014