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Apple's iPhone 5 began its global rollout in Australia on Friday when stores opened
at 8am. The phone has attracted massive attention from consumers, and some analysts expect it
to be Apple's biggest phone launch ever.
Announced only one week ago, the iPhone 5 received pre-orders of 2 million units within
24 hours, according to figures from Apple. The pace was double that seen for the iPhone
4S, the previous handset.
Long queues greeted the new phone in Sydney, where staff counted down to the beginning
of sales.
There was a similar scene outside the Apple Store in Tokyo's Ginza district, although
with a distinctly Japanese flavor.
There were costumed girls, this man, who told us he worked in a samurai related field, and
a giant iPhone 5.
The first person to buy a phone from the store had been lining up for six days and was quickly
surrounded by TV cameras.
"I finally got my iPhone 5. Thank you very much. I'm very happy."
And then a reporter asked him why he hadn't opened it
"Should I open it?"
"This is the new iPhone 5."
"It's lighter than I thought. It's lighter and the screen is big."
"It fits well in my hand."
"I've been waiting since last week. This is the sixth day. It was a long wait."
The iPhone 5 launch rolls though Hong Kong and Singapore to the UK, France and Germany
before ending in the U.S. and Canada.
With reporting and footage from Jeremy Kirk in Sydney and Jay Alabaster in Tokyo, this
is Martyn Williams, IDG News Service.