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Those of you who order an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus via Apple’s online store will no longer face any wait time before it ships to your doorstep.
Apple’s online store in the US shows every variety of the new phone now in stock, including the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. All colors are available — silver, gold and space gray. All capacities are in stock — 16GB, 64GB and 128 GB. And you’ll find the phone ready to ship for all four major US carriers — Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. Only the new SIM-free version shows a minor wait time — just one business day.
Each new iPhone typically runs into simply and demand issues as Apple’s manufacturers struggle to produce sufficient numbers of units. But with the iPhone 6, supply seemed to take longer than usual to match demand. In a survey of 80 Apple Stores in mid December, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster Munster found that only 56 percent of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models were in stock at the time. In contrast, supply of the iPhone 5S matched demand in early December back in 2013.
Of course, the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 6 represent two different scenarios. The 5S was an upgrade over the iPhone 5 that added a few new features, including a faster processor and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus introduced a variety of new and innovative features, most notably larger screens over the previous models.
Big-screened phones have proven a hit with consumers. That was certainly true for Apple’s chief rival, Samsung, which saw the benefits of offering smartphones with ample screens, such as its Galaxy S series, and even larger “phablets” like those in its Galaxy Note line. Apple was late to get into that fray, with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus not debuting till last September.
The pent-up demand was obvious. Apple logged record sales — 10 million devices — in the first weekend those two new phones went on sale, and the surge continued through the fourth quarter of 2014.
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In December, Apple made a concerted effort to pump up supply of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. In early December, the online store showed a ship time of three to five business days for the 16GB and the 64GB edition of both models and 7 to 10 business days for the 128GB version. Those estimates continued to drop as December progressed.
Supply also has reached demand in Apple online stores in other countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. But consumers in such markets as Canada and Australia still have to wait one business day for shipping. Apple’s online store in China shows a wait time of three to five business days.
US consumers who’d rather pick up a new iPhone at their local Apple retail store can also make sure it’s in stock via the online product page. At the bottom of the page, click the link to check availability. Enter your zip code on the next screen and then click the Search Stores button. Apple then displays a list of nearby stores where your selected model is available.
Apple did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment on the new ship times.
(Via MacRumors)
