Apple fans queue to buy new iPhone XS and XS Max despite £1,449 price tag
Apple superfans today queued outside stores around the world to be among the first to get their hands on a new iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and Apple Watch Series 4.
With the ability to pre-order and reserve a slot to collect the latest devices, there was less fanfare than in earlier years, when hopeful customers camped outside overnight.
Despite this, hundreds of people were lining up to enter Apple’s flagship store on Regent Street by 8.30am. Elsewhere, there were much shorter queues with sales limited those that had placed online orders.
"It's completely sad but I needed an upgrade," said a 19-year old student who also queued overnight.
"It's gold, what's not to love?" said another customer who participates in the ritual each year, waiting an hour in the pre-order queue. "I always like to get a new bit of tech and flash it around the office a little bit."
The XS and XS Max, which start from £999 and £1,099 respectively, have been available to pre-order for the past week but the XR - Apple's cheapest new smartphone, at £749 - will not hit shelves until late October.
Apple revealed its new devices at an event in Cupertino, California, last week. The iPhone XS and XS Max include an all-screen front design with a distinctive "notch" at the top for the microphone and front camera.
They also include improvements such as a faster processor, brighter screen and better cameras. The XS Max, the priciest model, boasts a 6.5-inch screen as well as a bigger battery.
The XR misses out on some features of the other two: its screen has a lower resolution and it lacks the dual-camera system of its more expensive companions.
Several models of the new iPhone have already sold out online with delivery waiting times of several weeks.
Last year, iPhone X had delivery waiting times of up to six weeks when it went on sale.
Apple also released a new Apple Watch, the Series 4, which includes improved healthcare features such as the ability to detect if someone falls down and to detect certain heart problems.
With the iPhone XS Max can cost up to £1,449, Apple chief executive Tim Cook was forced to defend the price increases. He said: “We found people want to have the most innovative product available, and...it's not cheap to do that.”
Sales of the iPhone have been largely flat in the last two years, although the higher price of last year’s handsets has meant revenue has continued to grow as customers have proved willing to pay more for smartphones.
The majority of Apple’s growth has instead come from increased sales of apps, music streaming and cloud storage, as well as the Apple Watch and headphones.