Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus preorders top 4M in first 24 hours

Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus preorders top 4M in first Apple said Monday it hit a record in first-day preorders of its new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with over four million preorders in the first 24 hours.

By comparison, Apple two years ago received over two million preorders for the iPhone 5 within 24 hours, and first weekend sales totaled more than 5 million. Last year, the first time Apple offered two iPhones, the company said it sold 9 million units of the iPhone 5S and 5C models in the first weekend after they hit stores.

The iPhone 6 has the potential to be the biggest launch in Apple's 38-year history, with the latest design providing two larger-screen models, slimmer and lighter bodies and a new mobile-payment system. Apple reportedly has askedmanufacturing partners to produce about 70 million to 80 million units of its larger screen iPhones by December 30, which is about 30 percent to 40 percent more iPhones than it ordered for its initial run of last year's iPhone 5Sand 5C.

"IPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are better in every way, and we are thrilled customers love them as much as we do," Apple CEO Tim Cook, who unveiled the new smartphones last week, said in a statement on Monday.

The company also confirmed that demand for the new smartphones outpaced initial preorder supplies. It said "a significant amount" of the devices will be delivered to preorder customers beginning this Friday and throughout September. However, many iPhone preorders aren't scheduled to arrive to customers until October. Apple, as well as several wireless carriers, have shown on their websites a longer wait in delivery time for the larger-screen iPhone 6 Plus.

Additional supplies of the smartphones will be available to walk-in customers on Friday, starting at 8 a.m. local time at Apple retail stores, when the devices officially go on sale. With long lines expected at Apple stores, the company encouraged customers to arrive early, or order online and then pick up their devices in stores or receive an estimate delivery date.

The record for the first 24 hours comes on the heels of Apple saying last Friday it hit a record number of customer orders overnight when presales started that day. These records follow with a trend of new Apple devices selling out quickly.

The iPhone 5 from 2012 -- available for preorder on September 14 of that year and in stores September 24 -- sold out of launch-day stock at a then record pace. About an hour after preorders started, Apple's online store changed the shipment timing from one week -- coinciding with the official launch date -- to as long as three weeks.24 hours