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New Yorkers have set the pace in the race to get their hands on the iPhone 5, queuing outside Apple's flagship store four days before the device goes on sale.
The line outside the Fifth Avenue store was about 10 long on Monday (yesterday NZT) as customers sought to be the first to buy Apple's latest evolution of the smartphone when it goes on sale at 8am this Friday (midnight Friday NZT).
AppleInsider quoted one of its readers as saying most of the customers who were in line on Monday morning were hoping to gain attention for websites they were promoting.
The iPhone 5 is being launched in nine countries this Friday, including the UK, Japan, France and Canada, though New Zealanders will have to wait another week to try out the new handset.
Demand for the new iPhone is at a fever pitch, with the handset on pace to become the fastest selling smartphone ever, according to AppleInsider.
Apple announced on Monday that preorders for the iPhone 5 reached two million in its first 24 hours of availability, more than doubling that of its predecessor, the iPhone 4S.
Meanwhile The Los Angeles Times reports that some people have already taken to EBay to sell the highly sought after device at hiked prices, when they don't even have it themselves yet.
The iPhone 5 has started showing up on EBay, and some units are selling for "insane amounts", including one 64 GB model that was going for $US9,901 ($11,956) on Tuesday, the newspaper said on its website. Apple is selling the model for $US399 ($481) with a two-year contract.
Typical prices were more modest though still a lot higher than retail. A white 16 GB model sold for $US900 ($1086), which is just $US250 more than its retail price but $US700 ($845) more than its price on a two-year contract, the LA Times reported.
The iPhone 5 will be launched in 22 other countries, including New Zealand on September 28 .
The smartphone will be available in New Zealand for a
recommended retail price of $1049 for the 16GB model, $1199 for the
32GB model and $1349 for the 64GB model.