Fans who have been queuing for up to three days were finally able to get their hands on the new iPhone when it went on sale in many countries around the world yesterday.
Some began queuing as early as Monday evening to buy Apple’s latest model, the futuristic 5S handset which is equipped with a fingerprint scanner.
The device, which comes in gold, silver or ‘‘space’’ grey, is expected to fly off the shelves but it is unclear whether the colourful 5C will have the same reception.
The cheaper model comes in five hues – pink, blue, yellow, green, and white – and has been released at a time when Apple faces stiffer competition than ever before.
But it was the 5S that drew diehard fans to line up outside Apple’s Regent Street store at 6pm on Monday in anticipation of the launch.
Gad Harari, 17, set up a makeshift tent for the wait and on Tuesday claimed he had already been offered £200 to give up his place at the front of the queue.
The student, who has lined up outside the store for previous product launches, said he would not consider selling his spot for less than £1,000.
Harari, from Hendon in north London, said he was drawn to the 5S for its Touch ID feature which allows users to unlock the phone with the touch of a finger.
“I think it’s amazing,” he said. “It’s cool, it’s new and it’s sci-fi.”
The two handsets were unveiled for the first time last week.
The 5S device, said to be twice as fast as its predecessor, will be available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.
Vodafone Malta, the official Apple communications partner in Malta, said it is still unknown when the 5S and the cheaper 5C will be available in local stores.
Customers are being asked to “register their interest” for Apple iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on both Vodafone and Go mobile operators.
The two handsets are already available in the US, the UK, theFar East and Australia. They are now available through Apple’s online store.
Colourful iPhone 5C model
The introduction of the iPhone 5C marks Apple’s first departure from high-end devices. Here is a look at the cheaper model.
• The 5C comes in five vivid colours – blue, green, pink, yellow and white.
• It is modelled on the iPhone 5 and features a four-inch retina display and an eight-megapixel camera.
• It is equipped with a new FaceTime HD camera and the iOS 7 operating system, dubbed “the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone”.
• The polycarbonate body comes with a steel reinforced frame.
• The 124.4mm phone is 59.2mm and weighs 132g.
• Apple has said the phone is compatible with more 4G bands than any other smartphone in the world.
• The handset delivers 10 hours of talk time on 3G networks; up to 10 hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi and 4G networks and up to eight hours on 3G; up to 10 hours of video playback and up to 40 hours of audio playback.
Key features of iPhone 5S
• An eight-megapixel camera.
• Touch ID, allowing users to unlock their phone with the touch of a finger.
• A 64-bit A7 chip which is said to be twice as fast as the iPhone 5.
• A new slow-motion video and FaceTime HD camera.
• Support for up to 13 LTE (Long- Term Evolution) wireless bands and download speeds up to 100 Mbps.
• Ten hours of talk time on 3G networks, up to 10 hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi and LTE networks, up to eight hours on 3G networks, 10 hours of video playback and up to 40 hours of audio playback.
• iTunes Radio, a free internet radio service based on the music users’ listen to on iTunes.
• The iPhone 5S comes in three colours – gold, silver and ‘’space grey’’ – and has a UK retail price of £549 for the 16GB model, £629 for the 32GB and £709 for the 64GB.