SINGAPORE - The Apple Store on Orchard Road opened its doors at 8am on Friday (Sept 22) to customers looking to get their hands on the new iPhone 8.
Those who pre-ordered their smartphones were allowed to enter ahead of those in the walk-in queue.
Each person in the queue was limited to purchasing two each.
The first to get his hand on the new smartphone was Mr Varis Sinthopruangchai, 20.
The National University of Singapore (NUS) finance foreign exchange student from Thailand was the first to buy an iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.
He bought them as presents for his parents back home in Thailand.
"I just kept refreshing and refreshing the page until I got a good slot," he said. "I'm happy to be one of the first few who arrived."
Mr Anmol Sehra, a 21-year-old student from India who is studying in Coleman College, came with his roommate Jagdeep Singh, a 21-year-old student studying in Birmingham Academy. Mr Sehra bought an iPhone 8 Plus.
"In India it will be launching late, so I waited just for this phone," Mr Sehra said. "I'm very excited to be holding the new iPhone."
They will be back for the iPhone X, they said.
Mr Kim Joonki, 34, a South Korean student pursuing a PhD in biological science at NUS, could not be happier with his new iPhone 8 Plus as well.
"I started my first smartphone use with the iPhone," he said. "It's really satisfying to get these new products from Apple."
The iPhone X, however, was something he steered away from. "The major reason is the price. It's too expensive compared with the already new features in the iPhone 8."
A queue had formed in front of the store from Thursday night, in anticipation of the new smartphone.
By 7.30am, more than 100 people were in the queue. When the doors opened, there were around 200 people.
Mr Amin Ahmed Dholiya, 43, was the first in line, having arrived at the store at around 7pm.
He said he flew in from India specially to buy an iPhone 8 Plus for his daughter as a wedding gift.
"I will buy two, one for my other daughter. This is my first time queueing overnight for something - I am feeling good now but it will be hard to stand all night," the businessman had said.
He will be returning home on Friday night.
This is the first major product launch since the store opened in May.
The iPhone 8 retails for $1,148 (64GB) and $1,388 (256GB), while the iPhone 8 Plus retails for $1,308 (64GB) and $1,548 (256GB).
