Apple fans in China left guessing over when they will get hands on iPhone 6

Quality regulators have certified Apple's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus for sale on the mainland but consumers have been left guessing when they will be able to get their hands on the new models.

The China Quality Certification Centre granted the necessary China Compulsory Certificates for the devices on Wednesday, according to the centre's website. The certificates are required for any electronics product sold on the mainland.

However, Apple has not set a release date for the smartphones in the company's second-biggest market after the United States. The second wave of the phone's launch, to begin on September 26, features at least 17 markets, but mainland China is not one of them.

Yesterday saw the first pre-orders placed online in Hong Kong. All quotas for the iPhone 6 Plus were filled within hours of orders beginning at 3pm.

Fans of the iPhone on the mainland said on social media websites that they tried to place orders via Apple's Hong Kong website but were unsuccessful.

Two of the three major mainland telecoms, China Mobile and China Unicom, declined to comment on a possible release date except to say it was up to Apple to set the date. "We can't do anything but wait," China Unicom spokesman Zhou Xiaoke said.