Hopeful customers packed the streets outside of Apple’s Fifth Avenue store in New York City this morning, braving massive queues to get their hands on the newest products.
But, the turnout wasn’t quite as impressive as previous years have seen – likely as many fans hold out for the iPhone X, which won’t become available until November.
The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus officially hit the shelves today, offering 4.7 and 5.5 inch retina HD screens, front and back glass panels, built in wireless charging, and the ‘most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone.’
Apple’s new Series 3 watch with built in cellular capabilities also launched today, alongside the new Apple TV.
Hopeful customers packed the streets outside of Apple’s Fifth Avenue store in New York City this morning, braving massive queues to get their hands on the newest products. But, previous years have seen much larger turnouts
While today brought bleak turnouts in London, Sydney, and other locations where customers typically line up by the hundreds, New Yorkers flooded the Fifth Avenue store, greeted by cheering Apple employees.
Photos from this morning’s product release show sidewalks mobbed with people, all waiting to get into the Apple Store and get their hands on the latest devices.
Employees cheered and high-fived customers as the crowds piled in.
The new devices start at $699 for the 64GB iPhone 8, and $799 for the iPhone 8 Plus.
They look similar to the iPhone 7, but have glass on the front and back.
And, made from aluminium and steel reinforced glass, the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are also sealed to be resistant to water and dust.
The phones will be available in silver, space gray, and the new gold color.
Outside of New York, enthusiasm fell far short of previous debuts.
Only a handful of people lined up outside of Apple’s flagship London store this morning.
And, Apple’s launch of iPhone 8 kicked off in a less lively mood in Asia, versus previous debuts, as fans held out for the premium iPhone X due out in early November.
Despite the large lines, today’s turnout wasn’t quite as impressive as previous years have seen – likely as many fans hold out for the iPhone X, which won’t become available until November. Massive lines from the firm’s 2014 release of the iPhone 6 can be seen above
While today brought bleak turnouts in London, Sydney, and other locations where customers typically line up by the hundreds, New Yorkers flooded the Fifth Avenue store, greeted by cheering Apple employees
Photos from this morning’s product release show sidewalks mobbed with people, all waiting to get into the Apple Store and get their hands on the latest devices
Pictured above, one of the first customers celebrates his purchase of the new iPhone 8 at the 5th Avenue Apple store in New York City
Hundreds of people usually gather at Apple’s Sydney city store with queues winding down the town’s main street, George Street, when there is a new product release.
But there were fewer than 30 people lining up before the store opened on Friday, according to a Reuters witness.
While the number of people queuing up outside Apple stores have dropped over the years with many opting for online purchases, the weak turnout for the latest iPhone has partly been due to poor reviews.
Mazen Kourouche, who was first in queue after lining up 11 days outside the store so he could buy and review the product on YouTube, said there were modest refinements.
The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus officially hit the shelves today, offering 4.7 and 5.5 inch retina HD screens, front and back glass panels, built in wireless charging, and the ‘most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone.’ Hopeful customers lined up outside of Apple’s Fifth Ave store in New York
While the number of people queuing up outside Apple stores have dropped over the years with many opting for online purchases, the weak turnout for the latest iPhone has partly been due to poor reviews. Still, Apple stores in New York were packed with customers today
Apple’s new Series 3 watch with built in cellular capabilities also launched today, alongside the new Apple TV
Above, the first customer in line is greeted by Apple store employees to purchase a new iPhone 8 at the 5th Avenue Apple store
The iPhone 8 will only cater to those who want a new version but do not want to pay a hefty $999 for the iPhone X, said iTWire.com’s technology editor Alex Zaharov-Reutt, who did not line up for the launch
Employees cheered and high-fived customers as the crowds piled in. While the launch has been met with less enthusiasm in some locations, New Yorkers packed the 5th Ave store today
‘(It) is pretty similar to the iPhone 7 but it shoots 4k 60 frames per second and it’s got a new glass back instead of the metal which is apparently more durable,’ he told Reuters.
‘There aren’t too many new features to this one.’
In China, a loyal Apple customer said the improved camera was one of the reasons she purchased the new device.
‘I waited until midnight to watch the launch event with my boyfriend to learn what’s new with this iPhone. Its photograph function is pretty good. So I think I must change with no hesitation,’ said 29-year-old consumer Ta Na in Shanghai.
Mentions of iPhone 8 and iPhone X on popular Chinese social media platform Weibo, an indicator of consumer interest, were less than levels seen before the previous two launches.
Apple’s newest devices look similar to the iPhone 7, but have glass on the front and back. Experts say this device will likely cater to those who don’t want to pay $999 for the iPhone X
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are made from aluminium and steel reinforced glass, the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are also sealed to be resistant to water and dust
The $399 (£399) Series 3 Apple Watch will allow users to make calls directly from their wrist, much like the previous versions – but, with an integrated SIM card and a display that ‘becomes the antenna,’ you can now do so without having a phone nearby
Poor reviews of the iPhone 8, which comes 10 years after Apple released the first version of the revolutionary phone, drove down shares of the company to near two-month lows of $152.75 on Thursday, as investors worried pre-orders for the device had come in well below previous launches.
The iPhone 8 will only cater to those who want a new version but do not want to pay a hefty $999 for the iPhone X, said iTWire.com’s technology editor Alex Zaharov-Reutt, who did not line up for the launch.
The iPhone X is a glass and stainless steel device with an edge-to-edge display that Chief Executive Tim Cook has called ‘the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone’.
‘I think it’ll be more lively with more people with the iPhone X,’ said Ray Yokoyama, after buying an iPhone 8 in Tokyo.
Apple employees look on as they prepare to open the doors to customers at the Fifth Avenue Apple Store