Gadgets fans around the world are probably well aware what day is today, regardless of whether they’re buying Apple’s newest iOS smartphone or not. Yes, it’s iPhone 6s launch day, which means there are lines in front of retail stores, some with robots in them, and preorder deliveries are underway in most markets, as long as they aren’t part of the Pope’s visit.
How many iPhones will Apple sell during launch weekend? What handset will be the most popular? A well-known insider who has an accurate track record reporting on Apple products has learned more details about Apple’s iPhone 6s preorder process.
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Apple supply chain sources who spoke with KGI Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo told the analyst that the rose gold iPhone 6s is the most popular color in Apple’s lineup right now. Rose gold iPhone 6s units make some 30% to 40% of preorders, Kuo wrote on Thursday in a note to investors seen by Apple Insider.
The rose gold iPhones were the first to be sold out after preorders started.
Kuo says that Apple could sell anywhere from 10 million to 13 million iPhone 6s units this weekend, an estimate that seems to match Wall Street consensus (12-to-13 million range).
The analyst believes that it’s more likely Apple will sell under 12 million units during opening weekend (including preorders). According to him, parts including the new Taptic engine, backlight module and rose gold are all responsible for production bottlenecks.
The increased popularity of the rose gold iPhone 6s will benefit Foxconn Precision, Kuo said, as that’s the only casing supplier capable of volume production of that version.
