Joyous Brits finally get their hands on Apple’s iPhone 7 as it launches worldwide – but some fans queued for two days only to find they had SOLD OUT
Punters who have queued for days leave empty handed as fears that Apple is under-supplied emerge
THERE was hysteria outside Apple stores across the UK today as eager punters were among the first to get their hands on the new iPhone 7.
Tech fans braved the extreme wet weather in the south to become among the first in the UK to own the gadget -- which launched worldwide this morning.
Meanwhile, chaotic crowds were pictured gathering outside shops in Cardiff and Glasgow -- joining some customers who had been queuing since yesterday.
But some Apple lovers from other parts of the world have already been left disappointed after camping outside stores for several days only to be told that pre-orders meant they are sold out.
It has led some to slam the tech giant for its "ridiculous" lack of preparation.
The water-resistant gadget boasts several new features including an enhanced camera and the removal of the typical headphone jack.
But many will have to wait longer before experiencing the swish new smartphone, which can cost up to £920 for the top of the range model.
Market experts are concerned that the iPhone 7 may be even more popular than expected, leading to a rush of pre-orders that some stores have been unable to cope with.
Others have queried whether tech giant Apple may be deliberately limiting supply to keep stocks level or even that suppliers are leaving them wanting.
"The fact that all iPhone 7 Plus models are constrained is a sign of the supply chain," analyst Ben Bajarin told Bloomberg News as reports of a shortage began surfacing.
Matthew Kanterman, another analyst, said: "They're possibly keeping supply artificially low, or at least lower than demand, so as to avoid having the oversupply of previous years."
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Customers in Sydney were the first to be left either elated or disappointed.
Bishoy Behman, 17, had been sitting outside the Apple store since Wednesday but went away empty handed.
"I really wouldn't have lined up if I had known that," he told news service AFP.
"For them to have not allocated some stock is ridiculous."
Apple only made an announcement hours before the new phone went on sale that some models would be unavailable.
How to get the best deal on the Apple iPhone 7
Buying an iPhone 7 outright from Apple will set you back at least £599 - or £719 if you opt for the iPhone 7 Plus.
The most expensive iPhone 7 model, with 128GB of storage space, costs a whopping £799 - and the 256GB iPhone 7 Plus is an unbelievable £919.
However, mobile networks are offering a number of contract deals - some with no upfront costs.
For example, Tesco Mobile is offering the 32GB iPhone 7 for £44.75 a month with no upfront costs - and 5000 minutes, 5000 texts and 3GB of data. The same deal for the iPhone 7 Plus costs £50 a month.
Meanwhile, the 32GB iPhone 7 with 5000 minutes, unlimited texts and 5GB of data on Virgin Media will set you back £47 a month.
To get the best deals, it's worth using a comparison website which breaks down all of the different options by the factors which matter most to you - such as having unlimited data, or deals which include a free phone.
Some site also have exclusive offers only available through their site - such as £47 a month for the 32GB iPhone 7 with unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 12GB of data on Vodafone on uSwitch.
Similar scenes were witnessed at Apple shops in Singapore as well as Hong Kong -- where grifters were already caught selling iPhone 7s on the street for huge mark-ups after purchasing them moments before.
One told AFP that "demand isn't as high" as it was for previous models -- a sign of Apple's slowdown in China.
How to get up to £124 in cashback on a new iPhone 7
Cashback websites, such as Quidco and TopCashback, pay you when you click through them and purchase something.
Your transaction is tracked and once it has been approved by the retailer it is added to your cashback account.
You can get the cash paid directly into your bank or PayPal account once you’ve earned more than around £5.
The sites are free to use but they have premium options which give users access to exclusive cashback rates and faster payments.
You’ll pay £5 a year for access and this is taken from your cashback earnings.
The most you can get in cashback is from Three Mobile who are offering £123.90 on iPhone 7 pre-order contracts with 30GB data.
Back in the UK, the first customer to receive his new silver iPhone 7 from the Covent Garden flagship store was Paul du Buf, 49, from Croydon.
"I'm just really excited about the new iPhone," said Mr du Buf, when asked why he chose to come so early.
"I really wanted the new camera and the new software."
In Glasgow, 35-year-old Paul Tyler was the firs through the city's Apple shop to receive his new gold iPhone 7.
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