iPhone 6 launch day scenes from Apple Stores around the world

The first stage of Apple's worldwide iPhone 6 rollout is nearly complete and launch day seems to have been successful, with huge lines forming at Apple Stores in nine countries from Australia to the United States [updated with video].

Apple's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus first hit store in Australia, where customers queued up in front of Apple Stores across the country hours in advance. AppleInsider reader Katie sent in the panoramic below showing the inside of Apple's Chadstone location shortly after launch.

In Hong Kong, thousands lined up outside Apple's three retail stores and numerous official resellers, with at least one retailer in the popular Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district counting a line "tens of hundreds" of people long. Many of those waiting immediately resold their new devices to smugglers -- who will bring them to mainland China, where the handsets' release date remains unknown -- for as much as 500% markup.

Fans faced equally long lines in the U.K., with thousands lining up outside Apple's Covent Garden store in London.

Back in the U.S., the line outside Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan stretched around the block. There were similar lines at carrier stores and Apple resellers around the nation.

The final tally of Apple Store visitors is unknown at this time, though Apple gave an indication that demand would be high when the company announced a record 4 million units had been preordered during the first day of availability.