iPhone 6 pre-order issues and quick iPhone 6 Plus sell out prove massive demand

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal earlier this week following Apple’s most important keynote of the year, CEO Tim Cook said the bigger iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models will trigger “the mother of all upgrades” and help Apple convert Android users to iOS. Kicked off only a few hours ago, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus preorders soon showed clear signs proving massive demand for the handsets, including preorder issues and quick sell outs.

FROM EARLIER: You can preorder the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus starting right now!

Apple’s online store went down at various times both in the U.S. and in other markets where preorders started on September 12, with many users unable to preorder their chosen iPhone 6 flavor. Furthermore, T-Mobile failed to even start preorders on its website, with the carrier still showing an iPhone 6 preorder notification form. Buyers looking for a T-Mobile iPhone 6 purchase could still have ordered a full price model from Apple’s website, assuming they were able to access the online store.

While Apple’s online store was down, iPhone 6 buyers purchasing their device from an iOS device via the iOS App Store app may have had better luck getting their chosen model, although some were only able to reserve an iPhone, as the app failed to reach the carrier system for processing the order. However, this preorder method isn’t available to any non iOS device owner.

The iPhone 6 Plus has already sold out with some carriers, including AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. AT&T says all its iPhone 6 Plus versions will now ship in 21 to 28 busienss days. Verizon is showing October 7 (64GB version) and October 14 (16GB and 128GB models) ship dates for the iPhone 6 Plus, while Sprint is advising buyers that all iPhone 6 Plus models are currently delayed, suggesting it has already run out of its initial Apple phablet stock.

On Apple’s U.S. online website, the iPhone 6 Plus is listed as shipping in 7 to 10 business days, while the iPhone 6 still has a clear September 19 ship date. In various international Apple online stores, the iPhone 6 Plus is also delayed by a few weeks.

Various reports have pointed out that Apple’s iPhone 6 may be the company’s biggest iPhone launch ever, with Apple said to have ordered up to 80 million combined iPhone 6 units by the end of the year. A recent story said that Apple will initially have a lower than expected stock ready for launch, but things should significantly improve in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, as the first iPhone 6 shipments have landed in the U.S., word got out that Apple may have booked all available air cargo out of China to the U.S. for at least two weeks, to make sure it can deal with the huge demand. The company is also preparing to start pre-orders in many international markets on September 26.

Screenshots showing the current iPhone 6 Plus preorder status at the U.S. Apple online store, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon (circa 6 a.m. EST), follow below.