In some locations on Friday, it seemed like the whole world took off work Friday to
stand in line for an iPhone 6. Mass reports of "thousands" of customers standing in line for hours at flagship Apple stores around the globe have been received since
MacNN reported on the queue in Australia, the
first country to begin selling the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The latter has proven extremely hard to get, but we have heard from a few readers who were successful.
Queues in Hong Kong has also been faithfully gathering reports from readers and various sites to document Apple's big day. All nine countries where the iPhone went on sale on Friday have reported crowds larger than there were for last year's arrival of the iPhone 5s, or even the year before's iPhone 5 launch. Numerous Apple Store employees have referred to the event as the most popular they've seen during their time working there.
Lines out of the mall in Australia
Our own reviewer Sanjiv Sathiah was among those waiting in line in Penrith, a suburb of Sydney in Australia. He was somehow able to secure both an iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus (the selling of kidneys and/or first born may or may not have been involved), and shared
his first impressions, but many (described as "hundreds" at one store alone) were turned away in their desire to obtain the larger, 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. We have received reports of people able to get one, but usually at great cost or sacrifice of time (like being among the first in line at a flagship store).
New York's Fifth Avenue store
Wide-ranging reports from Australia to Hong Kong, from New York to London all tell the tale: hundreds and in some cases thousands of people waiting for up to several days on end for a premium smartphone. There is no other company that inspires this sort of behavior on such a routine basis.
Covent Garden Apple Store
Some might shake their head at the naked display of consumerism, but what the critics don't understand is that this isn't as much about getting a shiny new bauble as it is about being part of something special -- whether its a community of like-minded enthusiasts; those who admire the spirit of innovation, engineering and design that is the hallmark of Apple's products; or to just support a company that continues to inspire and delight (and focus on) its customers.
Eaton Centre mall, Toronto queue
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