iPhone 6 and 6 Plus set sales record, but, hey, Apple can sell 4 million of anything

Are you one of the 4 million? That's the number of iPhone and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders during the first 24 hours, according to Apple. We don't have comparative number for iPhone 5s and 5c, as Apple gave a three-day figure of 9 million last year. But in September 2012, iPhone 5 topped 2 million the first day.

In one of the funnier Hitler parody videos, the dictator says: "If Apple sold Jony Ive's gym sweat, millions would also buy that!" (Ive is Apple's chief designer.) The point: Apple can sell millions of anything. CEO Tim Cook brags "record sales" -- and they're nothing to snicker about -- but would you expect anything less?

"We are thrilled customers love them as much as we do", Cook says of the new iPhones. Lucky thing, too. Lots of CEOs and their design teams love new Gadgets A, B, or C -- but not the buying public. No one wants to make another Edsel, and the new iPhones risk no such fate -- if sales stay strong like these.

Apple is savvier than most tech companies massaging marketing bang. Last year's disclosure was for three days rather than one, suggesting slower first 24-hour pre-orders than iPhone 5. So spreading out the days maximizes the numbers. Still, sales could have been 3 million combined, when averaging the 9 million over three days.

I ordered iPhone 6 directly from Verizon, which started taking pre-orders early -- a few minutes before Midnight PDT on September 11. The Plus is too big for my needs, as I expect it will be for the majority of existing iPhone owners. Verizon had my order processed by 12:04 a.m.

What I want to know: Not how many, but how many of each? Is the backordered iPhone 6 Plus a big hit, or did Apple just not make enough? As I've repeatedly stated about Apple product launches: In business perception is everything, and supply shortages generate blogs and news stories and the appearance that the product is super hot-in-demand. Short-supply is worth millions in free marketing.

That said, my theory about the Plus is this: Gadget geeks and Android phablet owners account for the majority of early sales. You can help prove or disprove this hypothesis by commenting. Did you pre-order iPhone 6 Plus or plan to buy one? Why? What device do you use now?

If you want the Plus, which Apple Store Online lists as shipping in 3-4 weeks for all storage capacities from all U.S. carriers, queuing up for Friday's launch is the best option. I'll be at the Apple Store line here in San Diego asking buyers which model and why.

BTW, who writes Apple press releases now? The one for the 24-hour announcement slaps on marketing keywords like thick frosting: "record number"; "biggest advancements"; "better in every way"; "dramatically thin"; and "blazing fast performance" -- or statements like "Apple reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, defined the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad and has announced Apple Watch, its most personal device ever. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store". Such dramatic claims Apple makes, and the press release is fun reading.

Mmmm, maybe there's more than one record here. In addition to first-day sales, there's the press release, which (and I'm being sincere here) deserves an advertising award for promotional writing. It's extraordinary. Like iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus? You tell me.