Apple’s Expanded iPhone 6 Availability Draws Big Crowds

Apple’s iPhone 6 launch maybe be its queueiest yet, according to droves of fans lining up around the world for round two of the new device’s global debut. Today, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus went on sale in over 20 new countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.

Lines still exist at some locations from the first round of countries, but they’re also forming in the new launch spots, and drawing crowds just about as big as we saw in some places during last week’s debut.

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Moscow saw a big wait, with crowded conditions in reseller stores, and Istanbul had a queue that wove around a public park and looks to have included hundreds. Taiwan had predictably long lines, given its proximity to China, where the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus still don’t have a firm launch date, and in Amsterdam people lined up for blocks in conditions that look far from favorable.

Apple’s ability to continue to draw lines to both new markets and ones where the phone has already launched bodes well for the iPhone 6’s performance. Already, Apple has said it sold 10 million devices during launch weekend, a figure which was constrained by the amount of available stock. Online, Apple’s own store shows lead time for all iPhone 6 models at 7 to 10 business days, while the iPhone 6 Plus, if ordered today, won’t ship for between 3 and 4 weeks.

Photo credit: Marvin Kennis on Twitter