iPhone orders ‘of over 10m’

Apple said yesterday that advance orders of its new iPhones were on pace to beat the 10m units the previous versions logged in their first weekend last year, a feat that analysts attributed to the inclusion of sales from China.

The Chinese debut of the prior models, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, was delayed last year as the company awaited approval from regulators. Many analysts say China is poised to overtake the US as Apple’s biggest market.

Searching for signs of whether Apple can top its 2014 performance, investors were initially encouraged by the company’s remarks but later tempered their enthusiasm.