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Apple's First Walk-In Customers Leave With iPhone 7 Instead of iPhone 7 Plus, But Get Free $100 Gift Cards

Thursday September 15, 2016 5:09 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Five students from Sydney, Australia, namely Bishoy Behman, Mazen Kourouche, Marcus Barsoum, Matthew Alvarez, and Paul Behman, were the first customers in the world to walk out of an Apple retail store with an all-new iPhone today, although without the specific model they had been hoping for.

iphone7-release-sydney-1
The students had been taking turns waiting since Wednesday morning local time for the chance to purchase an iPhone 7 Plus in Jet Black, but Apple later announced that no iPhone 7 Plus models in any color, or iPhone 7 models in Jet Black, will be available on launch day for walk-in customers.

The students were disappointed, but ultimately walked away with two iPhone 7 models each and $100 Apple gift cards provided by the store. Some customers who lined up elsewhere were provided with Apple gift cards of lesser value, but others received nothing, suggesting it was not a companywide initiative.

Despite rainy and windy conditions, and the lack of iPhone 7 Plus availability, the video below shows that hundreds of customers still showed up at the flagship Apple Sydney location for the launch today.


Just a few hours earlier, the first iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus pre-order deliveries began in New Zealand, and orders are now beginning in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. The first-wave launch will continue through to Alaska and Hawaii as the date reaches September 16 across the world.

Apple has not indicated when stores will receive more iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus shipments, but in-store reservations will resume on September 17 at 8:00 a.m. local time in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Hong Kong, and on September 17 at 6:00 a.m. local time in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.K.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: Apple retail
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 8 (Caution)
[ 109 comments ]


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littyboy
23 months ago
So they didn't get the model they wanted, and YET they "ultimately walked away with two iPhone 7 models each." In other words, they were a bunch of scalpers.
Rating: 18 Votes
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SteveJobs2.0
23 months ago
So they didn't get the phone they really wanted? Seems like a waste of time other then 15 seconds of fame.
Rating: 15 Votes
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cwwilson
23 months ago
Apple really dropped the ball if they can't even get the Plus out on time.

Inexcusable.
Rating: 12 Votes
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zombierunner
23 months ago
Rich kids down under
Rating: 11 Votes
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2010mini
23 months ago
Don't get why people still camp out at the store when they can order it online. Or geez wait a couple of weeks and get the one you want without any shortage issues.
Rating: 10 Votes
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igazza
23 months ago
It's embarrassing to launch a product and not have any stock.
Rating: 8 Votes
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jayducharme
23 months ago
I guess the public didn't get the message that this is just an "iterative" iPhone upgrade and that they should wait till next year for the REALLY good iPhone.
Rating: 7 Votes
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walt7788
23 months ago
If there is such a supply limitation on the Plus model, why didn't Apple just wait another month to launch it? So now there will be a few people who get the phone, but most will be disappointed...I don't get it. Yeah they have their yearly release schedule -- but this just seems like they messed up. With a supply chain master as CEO, you'd think they would have been a bit more prepared...
Rating: 5 Votes
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rorschach
23 months ago
I didn't get my first choice either. Where's my $100? :rolleyes:
Rating: 5 Votes
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imMango
23 months ago
Walked out with 2 iPhones each.. hmm wonder what they're planning on doing with them :P
Rating: 5 Votes

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