Thousands of Customers Waiting in Line at Apple Retail Stores for iPhone XS, XS Max and Apple Watch Series 4 as Global Launch Continues - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Thousands of Customers Waiting in Line at Apple Retail Stores for iPhone XS, XS Max and Apple Watch Series 4 as Global Launch Continues

iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 have started rolling out in Australia and New Zealand where it is after 8:00 a.m. on Friday, September 21, and in other countries, as the launch date approaches, customers are queueing up with the hopes of purchasing one of Apple's new devices.

At the Orchard Road store in Singapore, where the new smartphones and watches will be available in a few hours, hundreds of people are waiting and have been camped out since much earlier in the day.

appleorchardroad


It's hot in Singapore, so potential customers have been provided with numbered wristbands to mark their place in line and are allowed to leave for up to one hour for meal breaks.


There's a similar scene at Apple's Berlin store, where customers have been lining up overnight. Berlin customers still have several hours to wait before the new devices are available in the country.


Customers in Austria are also lining up to get an iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max, but with hours to go, the line is still small.

Most U.S. stores don't appear to have significant lines, but people will likely start lining up late at night as the launch date approaches.

Apple's iPhone XS and XS Max were not particularly constrained when pre-orders launched, but some iPhone XS Max models began selling out for launch day shipments within about a half hour of when pre-orders went live. Apple Watch Series 4 models were harder to come by and sold out quickly.

Orders placed for iPhone XS, XS Max, and Apple Watch orders from Apple today will not ship out until October, which is likely why many customers are trying their luck waiting in line for a walk-in purchase.

Customers in the United States who did not pre-order and who are hoping for a launch day device should get to an Apple retail store or carrier store as early as possible.

Are you planning to wait in line for an Apple device this year? Let us know in the comments.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forums: Apple Watch, iPhone

Popular Stories

Surprise and Shine Live Coverage Article

Apple Event Live Blog: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and More

Wednesday September 9, 2026 9:10 am PDT by
Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see the foldable iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models, new AirPods 5 earphones, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium

New Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Features Revealed

Sunday August 30, 2026 7:54 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today further outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 set to be unveiled on September 9. While it was initially rumored that Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to have any major design changes compared to the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models. ...
apple surprise and shine event

Apple Event Today: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo Cheat Sheet

Tuesday September 8, 2026 10:24 am PDT by
Apple's biggest event of the year is almost here, and all eyes are on Cupertino. With the first foldable iPhone expected to headline Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, the rumor mill has been running full throttle, fuelled by the biggest single design change in the life of the iPhone. To get you up to speed, here's a quick reference...

Top Rated Comments

droog Avatar
104 months ago
People still do this? Yikes...
Score: 75 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaxomoxay Avatar
104 months ago
Waiting in line for a phone or watch, it's just sad.
No it’s not. I wouldn’t do it, but it’s not sad. It’s what they want to do, with their free time, and they will use their money for it. Some people stay in line for hours to watch a football game (which may be even on TV) or a concert, and some people will even pay otrageous amounts for it.
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
104 months ago
Waiting in line for a phone or watch, it's just sad.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrGimper Avatar
104 months ago
Stop dissing people who queue. I don’t personally, but people do and it’s up to them. Many like the shared experience and the fun of doing it. Why go to a live sports game when you can watch it on TV...
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
104 months ago
I want to see someone in line with a notch haircut. Pretty please?
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
104 months ago
Next year the new iPhone at only $1999 lol
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)