iPhone 5 Lines Lengthening as First Launches Approach

Less than two hours before the first Australian Apple retail stores open to begin selling the iPhone 5, lines at stores around the world are lengthening in anticipation of the event. With Apple's pre-orders for the device having sold it out in just about an hour and current shipping estimates registering at 3-4 weeks, it seems that in-store purchases will be popular with those still looking to get their hands on an iPhone 5 as quickly as possible.

A representative from iFixit is currently in Australia waiting to purchase an iPhone 5 for teardown purposes, and he has posted a photo showing the line outside the Telstra retail store where he is currently sixth in line.

ifixit telstra iphone 5 line
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has also checked in at the Chermside Apple retail store outside of Brisbane where he is waiting for one of the first iPhone 5 units to hit the streets.

But even in the United States where customers have close to 16 hours to go at a minimum before sales begin, lines are beginning to grow, as shown in this video from @pdparticle at the Palo Alto store near Apple's headquarters.


The iPhone 5 launches at 8:00 AM local time Friday in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom. The device will launch in 22 more countries a week later on September 28.

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Top Rated Comments

Caliber26 Avatar
172 months ago
Somewhere, the CEO of Samsung is looking like:

Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
janderson0719 Avatar
172 months ago
Feels nice to have mine being delivered to me tomorrow. :apple:
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yvan256 Avatar
172 months ago
Employee: Sir, can I have today and tomorrow morning off so I can go wait in line for a cellphone?
Boss: Are you out of your mind? Get back to work!
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
janderson0719 Avatar
172 months ago
Awwwww look at the nice iSheep. Baaaahh Baaaaaahhhh

You're sheep for being the billionth person to say that.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Castiel Avatar
172 months ago
But I thought the "next big thing is already here"?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nick_elt Avatar
172 months ago
so the samsung ads worked...
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)