Weekend iPhone sales top 10 million
It appears smartphone buyers are big fans of the big screens on Apple's latest iPhones.
The tech giant announced that opening weekend sales of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus topped 10 million, beating the record of 9 million set last year by predecessors iPhone 5s and 5c.
The company did not break down how much of that 10 million figure is attributed to the iPhone 6 Plus vs. the iPhone 6, but Apple CEO Tim Cook said demand for the new smartphones has been "incredible."
"Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn't be happier," Cook said in a statement Monday.
Shares of Apple were flat in Monday trading.
The 10 million milestone doesn't include one of the largest smartphone markets: China. Apple reportedly delayed launching the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in China as it waits regulatory approval.
Apple says the new iPhones will be available in 20 additional countries by the end of the week and will reach 115 countries by the end of this year.
Bernstein Research senior analyst Toni Sacconaghi says based on opening weekend sales, Apple could sell between 55 million and 60 million iPhones during the holiday season.
"The iPhone 6 upgrade cycle will be more pronounced than prior cycles due to the combination of a compelling new (and notably larger) iPhone form-factor and more widespread trade-in programs that have made it less expensive to upgrade early," says Sacconaghi.
The new iPhones welcome larger screens to the mix, with the iPhone 6 featuring a 4.7-inch screen and the iPhone 6 Plus featuring a 5.5-inch display. The iPhones also introduce Apple Pay, the company's mobile payments service that will allow users to process financial transactions through their phone. The iPhone 6 starts at $199 for a 16GB model, while the 6 Plus starts at $299.
The bigger smartphones also put Apple on par with rivals including HTC and Samsung, the pioneers of the larger smartphone screen through its Galaxy S and Galaxy Note products. Samsung and Apple are the top two smartphone makers in the world, with a combined global market share of 37% during the second quarter, according to IDC.
It appears the 6 Plus has been more popular among consumers, based on wait times for online orders at the major wireless carriers — AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. Customers ordering an iPhone 6 Plus online could wait as long as two months for their phone to ship.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.