iPhone pre-orders set a new record

People wait to buy the new Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices outside an Apple store in Hong Kong last year. Apple says pre-orders for its latest devices are booming. Photo / AFP

An early statement from Apple indicates that pre-orders for the latest iPhones are on pace to set a new record for the company.

"Customer response to iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus has been extremely positive and preorders this weekend were very strong around the world. We are on pace to beat last year's 10 million unit first-weekend record when the new iPhones go on sale September 25," the company said in a statement.

This year, Apple is taking pre-orders in China at the same time as the United States, which may help explain part of why the company's phones are seeing the pre-order surge. With a new rose-gold finish, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models were already expected to be a big hit in China, which is one of Apple's most important markets.

Online, some models of the iPhone 6s Plus already show a 2-3 week waiting period, though many models - particularly of the iPhone 6s - still say they'll be available for pick-up when the phones go on sale. The phones will officially hit store shelves on September 25.

Those who want to snag an iPhone 6s Plus may find better luck picking one up in stores, if they can get there early enough. Apple has promised that it will have the bigger models in stores at launch. "As many customers noticed, the online demand for iPhone 6s Plus has been exceptionally strong and exceeded our own forecasts for the preorder period," the company's statement said.

"We are working to catch up as quickly as we can, and we will have iPhone 6s Plus as well as iPhone 6s units available at Apple retail stores when they open next Friday."