Following on from Apple‘s grand reveal of its highly-sought after new-gen phones, Apple stores around the country have today flung the doors open to hoards of hungry customers keen to be the first in the country to get their hands on the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
Or, at least, that’s what they were expecting.
The reality is that, for one reason or another, lines outside Apple stores today have fallen fairly short of expectations, to the point of them being practically non-existent.
While in years’ past the release of an iPhone usually triggers lines that form days before release and stretch around blocks, the iPhone 8’s release has attracted only a bare few punters, by all accounts.
The line outside the Brisbane Apple store earlier this morning only sported around a dozen eager customers.
This is the extent of the line up for the new iPhone in Brisbane. Just a dozen deep. Clearly not as much excitement as in previous years. pic.twitter.com/iJGg6S3k3Z
— Shannon Marshall-McCormack (@ShannonMM9) September 21, 2017
At Chadstone in south-eastern Melbourne, the number of staff on-hand to deal with the rush actually wound up significantly outnumbering the amount of people who showed up to queue.
Tech geeks gear up for the sale of iPhone 8…staff at Chadstone outnumber those lining up as customers turn to online queues. @tennewsmelb pic.twitter.com/PSFFf4nkyc
— Trent Dann (@trentdann) September 21, 2017
Meanwhile over at the Bondi Apple store, the line flat-out does not exist.
Care factor for new iPhone appears to be low in Bondi.. pic.twitter.com/MiZZH8Z9TX
— simongascoigne (@simongascoigne) September 21, 2017
A number of factors for this are at play, by all accounts. Firstly, interest in the iPhone 8 seems to be down somewhat on previous models. But that’s not to suggest people are abandoning it altogether; quite the opposite. Telco’s have a reportedly unusually high amount of stock, meaning pre-orders and online sales are readily available, negating the need to physically get your butt to an Apple store in order to get hold of one.
But the primary reason, it’s speculated, is because people are holding out for the release of the turbo-charged iPhone X, which is due for release on November 3rd.
For that one – which carries a hefty price range that peaks at AUD$1829, if you don’t mind – you might wanna consider lining up now.
