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iPhone XR Launch Day Continues Around the World

Friday October 26, 2018 6:58 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Following the first deliveries to customers in Australia and New Zealand, iPhone XR launch day continues around the world.


Apple CEO Tim Cook visited the company's Piazza Liberty store in Milan today to celebrate the iPhone XR release, posing for pictures with customers and employees, which he later shared on Twitter.

Video of Tim Cook at Apple Piazza Liberty via setteBIT

While the iPhone XR is available for walk-in purchase at Apple Stores, many locations have few customers waiting in line. At Apple Walden Galleria in Buffalo, New York, for example, VentureBeat reporter Jeremy Horwitz tweeted that he was the only person lined up just minutes before the store opened.


As more customers lean towards online pre-orders, the iconic iPhone launch day lines of the past have dwindled over the years.

Retail employees cheered as the first customers entered Apple's temporary Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan this morning, as recorded by Apple analyst Walt Piecyk, but lines are typically much longer at this flagship location on iPhone launch days. To be fair, Apple is still renovating its iconic glass cube location a few steps away.


There are a few exceptions, as hundreds of customers lined up for iPhone XR launch day at Apple Shibuya in Tokyo, Japan. It was also the grand reopening of the store following several months of renovations, however, so many of those customers may have lined up to check out the new design and score a free shirt.

Line at Apple Shibuya on iPhone XR launch day

As usual on an iPhone launch day, most Apple Stores are opening early at 8:00 a.m. local time, with display models now available.

MacRumors traveled to New York City this week to spend some time with the iPhone XR ahead of its release. While there, we spent the day unboxing the device and testing its camera with help from volunteer New Yorkers. We also hosted Q&As on Reddit and through our Twitter account @MacRumors.


Update: Apple has shared additional photos of iPhone XR launch day at Apple Stores around the world.




If you were or will be at an Apple Store for the iPhone XR launch today, be sure to tweet @MacRumors with a photo of your store and device.

Related Roundups: Apple Stores, iPhone XR
Buyer's Guide: iPhone XR (Neutral)
[ 76 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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Avatar
Steve121178
17 weeks ago
The photos above are so cringe-worthy.
Rating: 19 Votes
Avatar
AngerDanger
17 weeks ago

The iPhone Xr is a flop device, in 4 months will apple stop the production

Ah, gotta love the untapped collection of clairvoyants, analysts, and would-be supply chain gurus that frequent MacRumors. :)
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
Tofupunch
17 weeks ago
Congrats everyone!

Btw, can someone confirm if the lte issues of the xs are showing up?
[doublepost=1540559279][/doublepost]

The photos above are so cringe-worthy.

I wonder if the employees clapped and cheered for the one guy in line...:confused::eek::oops:
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
Stuey3D
17 weeks ago

I'm going to ask the obvious... Does this mean the XR is a flop? I mean, NY, 1 person in line?? Terrible...

I don’t think it’s going to be a flop, I think it will be a bit of a slow burner to start with and will be the phone most people will upgrade to over the year.

I think the reason there are no queues is because people who wanted the latest and greatest features and weren’t willing to wait went and got an XS/Max and those who were willing to wait have pre ordered it already.

Don’t forget it took a little while for it to start slipping a little on the pre order and I think that’s because there are 18 different SKU’s for the thing giving people plenty of choice.

As I said before I think it will be the one people upgrade to through the year as it’s a much cheaper device for very little sacrifice compared to the XS/Max, I think now it is released you’ll probably see the sales for the XS/Max calm down a bit because this will cannibalise them.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
white4s
17 weeks ago

I'm going to ask the obvious... Does this mean the XR is a flop? I mean, NY, 1 person in line?? Terrible...


Orrrrrr most people just pre-ordered........
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
Baymowe335
17 weeks ago

The iPhone Xr: the iPhone for people who aren't technology fanboys.

AKA, most of Apple's market and for that matter, most people.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
shanson27
17 weeks ago

At an iPhone launch event? No.

Ah, gotta love the untapped collection of clairvoyants, analysts, and would-be supply chain gurus that frequent MacRumors. :)


Look at the bezels :mad:
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
tbayrgs
17 weeks ago

I don’t think it’s going to be a flop, I think it will be a bit of a slow burner to start with and will be the phone most people will upgrade to over the year.

I think the reason there are no queues is because people who wanted the latest and greatest features and weren’t willing to wait went and got an XS/Max and those who were willing to wait have pre ordered it already.

Don’t forget it took a little while for it to start slipping a little on the pre order and I think that’s because there are 18 different SKU’s for the thing giving people plenty of choice.

As I said before I think it will be the one people upgrade to through the year as it’s a much cheaper device for very little sacrifice compared to the XS/Max, I think now it is released you’ll probably see the sales for the XS/Max calm down a bit because this will cannibalise them.


^Exactly this. Launch day lines are early adopters and fanatics (and resellers, sadly) who want the latest and greatest. This year, that's the XS models. Last year, the 8 models launched first and the lines were non-existent as those early adopters were waiting for the X, which had long lines.

The XR is the phone for typical consumers and will be a long, steady, slow burn throughout the year. It’ll be the phone most casual consumers just walking in to upgrade their 2-4 year old iPhone will gravitate towards.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
citysnaps
17 weeks ago

The photos above are so cringe-worthy.


Because happy people having a good time upsets you?
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
crsh1976
17 weeks ago
The new phones are too big for my taste, I'll pass until they offer something normal again - around 5" is ideal.
Rating: 4 Votes

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