Apple iPhone 6 goes on sale around the world
As the world turns and the sun rises on Friday, September 19, Apple stores are opening their doors as the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus go on sale across 115 countries around the globe.
This year's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are most noted for the new scaled up sizes of 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch respectively, giving Apple attractive new options for fans of the larger handsets so common in the Android phone market. Both models include the new 64-bit A8 processor, an improved 8-megapixel rear camera, better battery life and an NFC chip that, at launch, will be used exclusively by the Apple Pay payment service, which launches in the US in October.
The iPhone 6 is available in silver, gold and space gray in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB sizes, with respective contract-free prices of $649, $749, and $849 in the US; £539, £619, and £699 in the UK; and AU$869, AU$999, and AU$1,129 in Australia. The iPhone 6 Plus is available in the same colours and capacities, priced at $749, $849, and $999 in the US; £619, £699, and £789 in the UK; and AU$999, AU$1,129, and AU$1,259 in Australia. US contract prices start from $199.
Demand for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus was so high when preorders began last Friday that Apple's online store and various carriers couldn't keep up. Outages plagued the Apple Store site for more than two hours after the iPhones became available for presale at midnight PT. Despite the outages, customers scooped up the devices at a rapid clip. Within hours all iPhone 6 Plus models were on a three to four week delivery delay, while most iPhone 6 models were available in seven to 10 days. Apple later announced record preorders of over four million iPhones. Despite these intensive preorders, Apple said all models will have some stock available in stores for launch day.
Check out launch scenes from CNET's reporters around the world:
SYDNEY -- First in line for the world's first on sale timezone is Salvatore Gerace, who has been in line since before the Apple announcement event last week. He admits he is here as a PR stunt for his new app and will be giving away the phone as a prize to promote his company.
The queues in Sydney are the strongest seen since the iPhone 3G (Australia's first iPhone), and estimates put the number in the queue just before opening at over 1200. Apple has been using iPads to help customers in the queue prepare their orders prior to the 8.00am opening time.
Others in the Sydney queue include Claudius Stocker, a backpacker in the line at number 30, having only arrived a day previously. While he's clearly an Apple fan -- 'they do everything better than the other manufacturers', he assures us -- he's also here to make money.
'I am also shooting a documentary,' he says before co-opting a friend to film us filming him. Rather candily, he admits that he'll be 'selling my iPhone 6 as soon as stocks run low -- I am a poor backpacker and this is almost a few days work for me!'
Further down the line are Rafael and Eduardo, both Brazilian. 'We came over from Brazil just for this!' They've queued since lunchtime Thursday but are a clearly excited enough about their trip that even sleeping out overnight feels like an adventure. Rafael plans on getting the iPhone 6, while Eduardo is keen on the Plus. 'It might be too big, but I want to try it myself to find out.'
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