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.

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.