WEST HARTFORD — Apple fans are finally laying their hands on the brand new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Eager customers joined long lines in cities like Sydney and Hong Kong on Friday as the new models went on sale, more than a week after they were unveiled.
Apple is releasing the phones, which are water resistant and feature beefed-up cameras, in more than 25 countries around the world. But people who haven’t reserved one in advance won’t be able to be too picky about the color.
They’ll be available at Apple stores, carriers and retail partners. Many locations planned to open their doors an hour early to accommodate the anticipated demand.
However, Apple is already warning customers that some of the phones will be in short supply.
“During the online pre-order period, initial quantities of iPhone 7 Plus in all finishes and iPhone 7 in jet black sold out and will not be available for walk-in customers,” the company said in a statement.
There’s still hope. Even if Apple Stores are out, some carriers like T-Mobile and stores like Best Buy in the U.S. could have harder-to-find configurations in stock. As a bonus, non-Apple retailers also tend to have shorter lines.
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If you’re not in a rush and don’t fancy spending your morning waiting on a sidewalk, you can order an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus online through Apple or a number of retailers.
According to Apple’s website, the jet black version of the iPhone 7 Plus won’t ship until November in the U.S. All other colors, including matte black, will ship in two to three weeks if ordered online directly from Apple. Those wait times could change.
The 4.7-inch iPhone 7 starts at $649 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus starts at $769.
