It wasn't long ago that some wondered if maybe Apple was on the way out, so to speak. After all, each new iPhone was starting to look remarkably similar to the previous iPhone, and even the stuff that was showing up wasn't all that impressive. Some wondered just how long Apple could keep this up, and new reports out around the first weekend of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sales suggest this was a record-breaking weekend even by Apple standards.
Apple announced that it had sold over 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models in the period of just three days after its September 19 launch. This launch represented a new record, and what's more, that's not even the end of the new iPhones' launch. Right now, the devices are only available in the United States (including Puerto Rico), the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Hong Kong. While these are clearly major markets, another 20 countries are set to start selling the device by September 26. By the end of the year, that number spirals to 115 countries. So really, the launch has only just begun, and already it's breaking records.
The CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, offered up some words of thanks for the launch, and its impressive success, saying “Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn’t be happier. We would like to thank all of our customers for making this our best launch ever, shattering all previous sell-through records by a large margin. While our team managed the manufacturing ramp better than ever before, we could have sold many more iPhones with greater supply and we are working hard to fill orders as quickly as possible.”
Indeed, those concerned about innovation in the newest branch of iPhone need not have been concerned at all; the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus represent some of the biggest advancements that Apple has brought to the floor. There's the obvious change, of course, of size—like it or hate it, the new iPhone is a lot bigger than ever just in terms of screen size, and from the look of it, plenty like it—but beyond that there are also quite a few other innovations driving the new versions. The new A8 processor, for example, offering up 64-bit architecture on par with a desktop is just one step forward, but beyond that there are also new developments featuring things like iSight, FaceTime HD cameras, and the ApplePay system, all of which together represent quite a bit of new things going on for Apple.
The pricing certainly hasn't seemed to hurt anything either, as the iPhone 6 is selling at $199 for a 16 gigabyte model, rising to a 128 gigabyte model—itself a first for Apple—for $399 with a two year contract. The iPhone 6 Plus, meanwhile, tacks on an extra $100 per storage level as compared to the iPhone 6.
It's clear that price tags and concerns about innovation aren't slowing up interest in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, perhaps with good reason. Users clearly want these devices and are paying accordingly, so it's a pretty safe bet that Apple isn't going out any time soon. Still a major part of the industry, and likely to be one for some time to come, when people want smartphones, said people often look to Apple.
Edited by
Maurice Nagle
