Customers who are interested in buying Apple iPhone 6 Plus may have to wait three to four weeks to get their hands on this device as a record number of orders for the latest iPhone has caused a shortage of supply.

The new iPhone 6 is scheduled to go on sale in the US and some other countries of the world on September 19 but Apple started taking online orders on September 12. The larger 5.5-inch Plus models now display a wait time of up to a month but the 4.7-inch version remains available for delivery on September 19.

Verizon and Sprint on Friday showed shipment delays of up to six weeks on their respective websites. According to Apple, the pace of orders has so far outstripped any of its previous iPhones.

"Response to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus has been incredible, with a record number of pre-orders overnight. Pre-orders are currently available online or through the Apple Store App," spokeswoman Trudy Muller said.

Apple has always faced iPhone supply constraints, especially when it has re-leased a re-designed smartphone.

The suppliers of the larger iPhone had scrambled to get enough screens ready because the need to redesign a key component had disrupted panel production. It is not known whether the problem could limit the number of phones available to consumers. Apple has preferred not to talk about the supply chain issues.

It is likely that customers in China would have to wait until the year-end before they can buy the iPhone 6. Apple is yet to set a release date for China, the biggest smartphone market in the world.
The company unveiled its latest iPhones along with a watch and a mobile payments service on Tuesday.