Update: Initial reports claim that China’s top three wireless carriers have already accepted 1 million iPhone 6 orders in the first six hours of availability alone.
Apple’s initial failure to secure regulatory approval for its next-gen handsets means it’s been a harder than expected slog for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to make it into China through official channels.
Today, however, marks the occasion on which the iPhone 6 family of devices officially became available for pre-order in China, ahead of the handsets landing in stores Friday, October 17.
“We are thrilled to bring iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to our customers in China on all three carriers at launch,” Tim Cook said in an official Apple statement. “With support for TD-LTE and FDD-LTE, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus customers will have access to high-speed mobile networks from China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom for an incredible experience.”
While today may be the first official day of pre-orders, though, it’s worth noting that all three of the biggest Chinese phone carriers — China Mobile, China Telecom and China — have all been taking unofficial preorders since practically the moment the phones were first cleared for sale.
According to a regularly updated spreadsheet kept by Forbes analyst Chuck Jones, using data provided by the Chinese live tracking website JD.com, current estimated Chinese preorders of the iPhone 6 amount to 8.5 million — only a fraction less than the 10 million+ units which sold worldwide in all available markets over the iPhone 6’s opening weekend.
What was it that Tim Cook said about China being a key market for Apple, again?
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
10 responses to “China goes crazy for iPhone 6 as official pre-orders start”
DAMN…CRAZY NUMBERS!
Awesome.
wawa
Maybe Apple could make enough iPhones for the US, first? A lot of folks who pre-ordered and iPhone 6 Plus from AT&T still have over a month to wait.
Same boat as you.. Mine (6+) for work on AT&T but also my daughter’s (6) on Sprint. Nary a word from them either. Ordered on the 19th.
Have My personal one though. Waited in line few days after release.
go to best buy. went last week and they had some Pluses
China has a different version of the iPhone for China (I’ve lived here for nearly 5 years and have bought 2 new iPhones in that time) so supply in China won’t affect on supply in the US.
Cmon. Are you serious. 8.5 million. This is crazy. I wish I could say I feel sorry for Samsung, but I can’t stop laughing.
Neither can I, this is music to my ears!
I can’t wait to hear Apple’s results for the coming holiday quarter, should make Samsung cringe!