There's a lot of attention paid to the manufacturing side of devices like the iPhone, though rarely does anyone take the time to share shipping details. Sounds pretty boring, right? It would be, except that in the case of the iPhone, you're talking about shipping a highly desirable product on a mass scale. And in regards to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, we're dealing with the biggest handset launch in Apple's history. Have you ever thought about the logistics of getting all those phones into the U.S. and other territories?

As you know, Apple's handsets are manufactured in China, the bulk of which come from Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision). One way the phones arrive in the U.S. is by plane. A MacRumors reader who is an airplane pilot was kind enough to post several photos of 195,000 pre-ordered iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices being loaded onto a 747.


"Yep, that's what I do. I fly stuff," says MacRumors forum member goforblacksky. "Privileged to be a small part of the Apple Supply chain. Just landed a 747 full of iPhone 6s in Anchorage. Another crew will the airplane on to Chicago."

According to the pilot, all those slim and light iPhone 6 devices covered and concealed under tarps add up to about 256,000 pounds. To put that into a perspective, a 747 is made of 147,000 pounds of high-strength aluminum, according to ModernAirliners.com.

Apple unveiled the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on September 9 and began taking pre-orders on September 12. The new iPhones set a pre-order record by selling more than 4 million units in the first 24 hours. Those who managed to get their pre-orders in quickly will receive their phones on September 19, though many are being told the wait time is 3-4 weeks.