Sales of new iPhones likely to top last year

Apple Inc is predicting initial sales of its new iPhones will top last year's opening-weekend record, thanks largely to demand in China.

Preorders for iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were "very strong" and sales are on pace to exceed last year's launch-weekend record of 10 million handsets, Apple said on Monday.

The devices, unveiled at an event in San Francisco last week, will hit stores on Sept 25. The strong demand was aided by orders from China, which this year was added as one of the countries to sell the smartphone at its introduction.