SINGAPORE - From as early as 5am on Thursday, hundreds of people started queuing up at shops selling Apple products for the new iPhone 6, a day before the models were available here.

First in the queue at the 313@Somerset shopping complex was Vietnamese student Cuong Nguyin, 22, who was all set to trade in his Nokia C5 feature phone for his first smart device - the 5.5inch (14cm) iPhone 6 Plus.

The 22-year-old from private institute Kaplan said he saved up for a year to be able to afford the gold 64GB model, which costs $1,288 at Apple retail store EpiCentre.

By 5pm, a queue of over 100 people had formed behind him, among them foreigners who had flown in from elsewhere just to get their hands on the phone.

Ms Oil Raming, 34, who manages a gadgets and apps website, for one, arrived from Bangkok with her friend on Wednesday. Both said they are iPhone fans and cannot wait until its November launch in Thailand.

Taiwanese student Jeremy Huang, 20, who was queuing with 10 friends from China, Malaysia and Thailand, said he was buying the phone for a friend, but will sell it "if the price is good".

Queues also formed at EpiCentre outlets at Bugis Junction and Wheelock Place, as well as outside Nubox outlets at Jurong Point, Junction 8, Tampines Mall, Funan DigitaLife Mall and Bedok Mall.