iPhone 6 and 6 Plus sales pass 10 million units in record-smashing debut

Try to act surprised: Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are now officially the fastest-selling iPhones of all time. And as a result, of course, that makes Apple’s new iPhone models for 2014 the fast-selling smartphones of all time, period. Apple on Monday morning issued the press release we’ve all been waiting for, confirming opening weekend sales numbers for the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. So, what do Apple’s numbers look like? Including preorders and sales through the new iPhones’ first three days of availability — and excluding sales in China, where the new iPhones haven’t yet launched — Apple managed to sell a mind-boggling 10 million combined iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets.

Apple had previously announced that iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus preorders topped 4 million combined units during their first 24 hours of availability.

No iOS 8 upgrade numbers were announced.

Last year, Apple’s iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c sold a combined 9 million units during the same period of time, and that was without any preorder system in place. At the time, people wondered how Apple would ever surpass that massive figure, and now it looks like we have our answer: Launch bigger iPhones.

Apple has known since at least 2012 that consumers were clamoring for larger iPhone models, as was revealed in secret internal documents that were exposed during one of Apple’s patent trials with Samsung. And it looks like Apple struck a chord with the sleek new design on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus — thousands or even tens of thousands of Apple fans were still lined up outside stores across the United States on Sunday evening as they waited to get their hands on a new iPhone.

Apple’s full press release follows below.

First Weekend iPhone Sales Top 10 Million, Set New Record

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Apple® today announced it has sold over 10 million new iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models, a new record, just three days after the launch on September 19. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK and will be available in more than 20 additional countries on September 26. The new iPhones will be available in 115 countries by the end of the year.

“Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn’t be happier,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “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.”

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history, featuring two new models with stunning 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina® HD displays, and packed with innovative technologies in an all-new dramatically thin and seamless design that is still comfortable to hold and easy to use. Both models are better in every way and include: the Apple-designed A8 chip with second generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture for blazing fast performance and power efficiency; advanced iSight® and FaceTime® HD cameras; ultrafast wireless technologies; and Apple Pay™, an easier way to simply and securely make payments with just the touch of a finger.*

The new iPhones include iOS 8, the biggest release since the App Store℠, featuring a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience with new Messages and Photos features, predictive typing for Apple’s QuickType™ keyboard and Family Sharing. iOS 8 also includes the new Health app, giving you a clear overview of your health and fitness data and iCloud Drive℠, so you can store files and access them from anywhere.

Customers are encouraged to check the Apple Store® app or online to receive updates on availability and estimated delivery dates. Every customer who buys an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPhone by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store and more, so they’ll be up and running with their new iPhone before they leave the store. Customers can also learn more about iOS 8 and their new device through free workshops at all Apple retail stores worldwide. In the US, the new iPhones are also available through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and additional carriers, and Apple Authorized Resellers including Best Buy, Radio Shack, Target and Walmart.