Apple Inc. said Monday that its latest smartphones, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, will be available at the technology giant’s retail stores at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, September 25.
The company also noted that more than 50 percent of existing devices have upgraded to iOS 9, its newest mobile operating software that was rolled out last week, marking the fastest iOS adoption ever.
Apple said its retail stores will have the new iPhones available for walk-in customers, who should arrive at a store early. Both models will also be available on Friday from AT&T Inc. ( T ), Sprint Corp. ( S ), T-Mobile US Inc. ( TMUS ), Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select Apple authorized resellers.
Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing said, “Customer response to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus has been incredibly positive, we can’t wait to get our most advanced iPhones ever into customers’ hands starting this Friday. iOS 9 is also off to an amazing start, on pace to be downloaded by more users than any other software release in Apple’s history.”
In early September, Apple unveiled its iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus smartphones with a faster processor, new 3D Touch capabilities and an improved camera, seeking to woo customers ahead of the holiday season and to assuage investors that its flagship device still has the mojo to sustain growth.
The phones, which look like their predecessors, are powered by A9 chip, have a new feature called 3D Touch that lets users make commands as well as avail shortcuts and menus by pressing down on the screen.
Last Monday, Apple said it is on track to beat last year’s record for first weekend sales of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, when sales breached the 10 million mark within just three days of its sales launch on September 19, 2014.
The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in gold, silver, space gray and the new rose gold metallic finishes for $0 down, with 24 monthly installment payments that start at $27 and $31 respectively, from Apple’s retail stores in the U.S., Apple.com, select carriers and Apple authorized resellers.
Both the smartphone models will also be available from Friday in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK and the U.S. The iPhone will be available by reservation only in China, Hong Kong, Japan and U.S. stores in tax-free states.
Starting this Saturday, September 26, customers will be able to visit Apple.com to reserve their iPhone for pick-up at their local Apple Store, based on availability. Apple noted that most Apple stores will also have iPhone available for walk-in customers each day.
Every customer who buys an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup to help them customize their iPhone by setting up email and show them new apps from the App Store.
Apple-designed accessories, such as leather and silicone cases in different colors and Lightning Docks in color-matched metallic finishes, will also be available.
While unveiling the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus earlier in September, Apple had said that the devices will come with iOS 9, which would be available as a free software update.
iOS 9 brings more features to iPhone with a Proactive assistant that is similar to Android’s Google Now service, powerful search and improved Siri features, along with an improved security feature.
Built-in apps on iOS 9 feature redesigned Notes app, detailed transit information in Maps, and a new News app that displays news from several sources.
AAPL is trading at $114.33, up $0.88 or 0.78 on a volume of 4.44 million shares.
