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Line grows at Apple's flagship Fifth Ave cube in anticipation of Friday launch of new iPhones

With less than 24 hours remaining before the launch of the newest iPhone models, more customers have begun to call the pavement with a view of Central Park their temporary home.

AppleInsider reader Ryan dropped by the Midtown Manhattan store on Thursday and captured some images of the scene along Fifth Avenue, where television stations have begun to arrive and customers are waiting to be among the first in North America to get their hands on an iPhone 5s or 5c. Analysts have predicted that Apple could sell up to 8 million of the new devices on launch weekend.

Lines first began to form at Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store, covered by a giant glass cube, earlier this month, before the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c were even officially announced. Camping out at the store for Apple's latest products has become something of a tradition among fanatics.

Despite investors' dissatisfaction with the pricing of the new lower-cost iPhone 5c and Apple's refusal to reveal preorder numbers, reviews of the handsets have been effusive and surveys show that demand remains high.

The iPhone 5s and 5c go on sale in Apple's retail stores at 8:00am local time Friday in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the U.S. and U.K. Apple's online store will begin taking orders at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, and the phones can also be purchased from Apple's carrier partners.



42 Comments

mstone 18 Years · 11503 comments

When do you think the phones ordered online at 12:01 AM will be delivered in the US?

elmoofo 11 Years · 100 comments

Don't these people know that Samsung is making fun of them in commercials? I mean, THE INDIGNITY! Guess Samsung'll just have to remain jealous of the lines.

constable odo 17 Years · 1040 comments

But... but... but no one is going to wait on line for iPhones anymore. Nobody wants a smartphone with a TINY 4" display when all the high-end Android smartphones come with displays 4.7" and up. Heck, the iPhone 5c is just last years iPhone 5 dipped in plastic. Those people waiting on line could get two Samsung Galaxy S4s for the price of one iPhone 5s and enjoy Air Gestures. Most of the analysts say these new iPhones will be sales flops because their prices are too high for poor people. Why buy any iPhone when you can buy an Android smartphone for $50 OFF-CONTRACT. Apple is doomed. /s

zoffdino 15 Years · 191 comments

Apple to Samsung: "you wish you have a line as long as me..." Now go and copy that!

wdstk46 14 Years · 4 comments

I'm thinking that these are all 5s folks. You could preorder a 5c online last week and have it delivered to your door tomorrow. Why stand in line?