Apple’s flagship George Street store in Sydney was humming with excitement on Friday as hundreds of die-hard tech fans queued for the launch of two new iPhone models.
The iPhone XS Max – the largest Apple phone ever – was released alongside the standard-sized XS at 8am on Friday.
Australians were among the first in the world to experience the gadgets thanks to the global time difference, so we were the first to discover that both phones are devoid of a home button.
The phones don’t come cheap, however. A 512GB XS Max handset sells for a whopping $2,369, while the smaller XS will set you back at least $1,629.
But the hefty costs clearly didn’t deter Sydney shoppers.
Some went to the extreme lengths of pitching tents and camping overnight to ensure their place towards the front of the line, while Sydney resident Mazen Kourouche was first in the line for the third consecutive time.
Some had pre-ordered their gadgets and were able to get inside faster.
One Apple fanatic tested the durability of his new iPhone XS by immediately tossing it on the road in a protective case. Thankfully for his bank balance, the device was fine.
Another shopper praised Apple’s customer service, saying the process of lining up and acquiring a phone was swift. – @troywhittaker98; video by @AndreCupido10