iPhone 6, 6 Plus sales exceed 10 million in first weekend

TORONTO – Early sales of Apple’s newest mobile devices have exceeded expectations, setting a new sales record for the tech giant.

Apple revealed Monday it sold over 10 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models in the first weekend of sales. In 2013, the company sold 9 million iPhone 5S and 5C models over the same period.

Both devices hit store shelves in 10 countries – including Canada and the U.S. – last Friday.

READ MORE: iPhone 6 and 6 Plus selling out fast at Canadian retailers

CEO Tim Cook added the company could have sold even more phones had there been more supply from its manufacturers.

“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 press release.

“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.”

Last week, Apple revealed that it received more than four million first-day pre-orders for the recently unveiled iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. But demand for the devices exceeded the company’s initial supply, meaning those who pre-ordered their devices may not receive them until October.

Pre-orders for the new iPhones doubled the two-million-order record set by the iPhone 5 in 2012.

Apple did not specify how the sales were split between the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus – however, the 6 Plus did appear to sell out more quickly on launch day.

Resellers may have helped set new sales record

While the new iPhones have been popular with fans, Apple’s new sales record may be due in part to the increasing amount of resellers scooping up the phones to sell overseas.

According to multiple reports, hundreds of resellers lined up to buy the new devices to sell on the Chinese market – where demand for “phablet” sized phones, like the iPhone 6 Plus, is growing due to the popularity of Samsung’s Galaxy Note line.

The new devices are not yet available in China.

According to a report by Business Insider, many who lined up for the phones on launch day were being paid by the so-called “resellers” who plan to sell the devices on the black market.

Some reports suggest the new devices are selling for as much as US$2,400 in China.

New York City-based film maker Casey Neistat released a short documentary over the weekend showing some of the resellers in action. The video shows people buying iPhones with cash in stores, then meeting up with others for what Neistat calls “the handoff” – where the phones are inspected and then handed over for cash.

Limited availability in Canadian stores

Canadians still hoping to get their hands on the a device can now check availability at local stores on Apple’s website. If you are lucky enough to find your desired device in stock, you are even able to reserve it.

But those looking to buy an iPhone 6 Plus may be out of luck for now.

READ MORE: 5 things you need to know about Apple’s new products

At time of publishing, every model and colour of the larger 5.5-inch iPhone was sold out at Canadian Apple store locations.

The iPhone 6 has varied availability across the country – many stores appear to have the 16GB and the 128GB Space Grey models available.