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Berlin: Apple’s latest iPhone was in high demand yesterday as hundreds of stores lined up outside stores in Tokyo, Berlin and elsewhere to become among the first to own the device.
The iPhone 4’s launch began at 7 a.m. in several parts of the world, starting in Japan and moving through France, Germany and the UK before going on sale in the States. -United.
Long lines formed early in the morning across the city at Apple stores and Tokyo outlets.
At the Apple Store in the Ginza shopping district, several hundred people lined the street in the early afternoon, as staff handed out bottled water and loaned out black umbrellas with the company logo on them. “I love the design. It’s stylish – I think it’s cool!” said Yoko Kosugi, 41, graphic designer.
‘Revolutionary’
In Germany, exclusive operator Deutsche Telekom AG allowed customers to order the phone from June 15, so many of those lining up in stores were guaranteed to get a device.
Dirk Wende, a spokesperson for Telekom, said enough phones were also available for customers who did not pre-order them. Wende said a store in Germany – Telekom’s flagship store in Berlin, opened ahead of the official midnight launch to offer the phone.
“Hundreds of customers have turned up to buy the new iPhone,” Wende said.
At Apple’s newly opened store in the Georgetown, Washington area, employees handed out free pastries to people in line.
Beth Henriksen, 30, of Washington, was the first person on the Georgetown store’s “reserved phone” line. She stood in line at 2.15am. Henriksen, a sign language interpreter, said she was upgrading her old iPhone to the new model due to the Facetime app allowing face-to-face video calls.
“It is revolutionary in the United States for deaf people to have a mobile device that they can use to communicate in their native language.”
In London, 23-year-old Ben Paton described his 16 hours online to get one as “absolutely amazing, amazing. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Alex Lee, a 27-year-old customer who flew from Dubai to join the 500-person line along Regent Street, said his trip and the hours of waiting were worth it.
“It’s so thin, maybe five or six thick credit cards – it’s amazing,” he said, clutching his new handset.
The newer model is thinner with a higher resolution screen and longer battery life.
Talk to Apple on
China Unicom (Hong Kong), the only Chinese operator offering Apple’s iPhone, said it has started discussions with the company over sales of the latest version of the smartphone and iPad tablet.
Unicom “has had contact” with Apple on the iPhone 4 and the iPad, Wen Baoqiu, a spokesperson for the carrier, said yesterday. He did not elaborate on the details of discussions with Apple.
Unicom, China’s second-largest wireless operator, could face competition from its biggest rival China Mobile to bring the iPhone 4 and iPad to the world’s largest communications market.
– Bloomberg
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