iPhone 6 sales launch in stores worldwide
After weeks if not months of anticipation, the wait is finally over. Swarms of Apple-hungry consumers lined up overnight around the world to get their hands on a new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, which went on sale Friday morning.
Some eager customers in New York had been camping out for more than two weeks to snag the larger and thinner new phones.
The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch screen, while the iPhone 6 Plus measures in at 5.5 inches. Among the new features not available on previous models is Apple Pay, a wireless mobile payment system that allows consumers to use their phones like a credit card.
The iPhone 6 Plus also features optical image stabilization on the camera for higher quality photos.
The latest iPhone models set a pre-order record, selling out the initial supply online, with 4 million orders placed in the first 24 hours after orders began last Friday. Some orders may not be filled for more than a month.
The phones are also available at authorized retailers including wireless carriers AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.
CNET reports highlights of opening-day sales worldwide, from Sydney to London, and notes that Apple is helping speed up the store purchase process for consumers with a digital queuing system that tells employees what model, size and color consumers are looking to purchase.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in silver, gold, and space gray, with 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB options available.
Contract-free pricing for the iPhone 6 is set at $649, $729 and $849 in the U.S., depending on the amount of storage. The iPhone 6 Plus will run $749, $849 and $949 without a contract.
With a two-year contract, the iPhone 6 sells for $199, $299 and $399 for 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB respectively. Prices for the iPhone 6 Plus are $100 more.