Apple is reportedly preparing to ship up to 80 million iPhone 6 handsets by the end of 2014.
The figure stands at 20 million more units than the 60 million iPhone 5 handsets shipped in 2013.
Digitimes cited inside sources who reportedly said that makers in the supply chain for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are readying parts and components for the manufacturing of 80 million smartphones. The sources also estimated 10 million shipments of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models by the end of September.
That figure beats Samsung’s Galaxy S5 first month sales, which reached 10 million in 25 days.
However, the iPhone’s sales could be hampered by the exclusion of China as a first wave recipent of the the phone.
The new flagships go on sale September 19 in the United States and the UK, as well as several other Western markets.
However, China was left off the list by Apple, something that didn’t happen last year with the release of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C.
China has yet to get a release date for the new phones.
Apple is keeping hush on the matter, and said: "China is a key market for us and we will get there as soon as possible."
CBR has reached out to Apple for comment but has yet to receive a reply.
