Apple announced the new iPhone last week and the XS and XS Max go up on sale from tomorrow, September 21. The new iPhone XS starts at US$ 999, while the XS Max starts at US$ 1,099, and despite this heavy price tag, people are queuing up a day in advance to get their hands on the new Apple product. 

According to the Strait Times, insanely long lines have already formed outside 270 Orchard Road, Singapore. 

Apple has been expecting a high demand for its new product and hence, has already set up barricades and a queuing system outside their stores. 

Each person can buy up two phones and are given a wristband which lets them leave the queue for 30 minutes. 

In the last few years, a new trend has started of people lining up to buy these phones at market rates, and then immediately resell it ahead at a higher rate. The demand from the rich, including celebrities and businessmen, is unprecedented, and obviously, they don't want to queue up.

© Wikipedia Commons

People even fly down to Singapore from India, Vietnam and other neighbouring countries, so that they can buy the phone at the international rate and bring it back. This way, under the presumption of personal usage, import duty can be avoided. 

The iPhone XS starts at INR 99,900, leaving behind a fair amount of margin for profit. 

The queue for the new iPhone in Singapore.
But it'll only be released tomorrowat 9am.#iPhone #iPhoneXSMax #Singapore #iPhoneXS #iPhoneXR #shazikfacts pic.twitter.com/Br7p6yncPO

A 44-member Vietnamese group called Dat Cay Da had flown to Singapore to specially buy the phones. A few members told the Strait Times that this is their yearly activity now. Obviously, the crowd also consists of hardcore Apple fans who want the bragging rights of having the new iPhone first. 

Used to queue up for the latest iPhone but haven't since the 6. Mostly because: pic.twitter.com/EC21PvioSy

On a lighter note, Deliveroo, an app-based food delivery business has said it'll deliver food to those who are waiting in the line outside the Apple Stores. The hype is real, and last year's iPhone X sales data proves that a higher price of the phone has no effect on sales whatsoever.

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In fact, the iPhone X has received splendid reviews as well as sales numbers. The number of people waiting in line has often been a point of comparison among companies and helps in estimating the demand. 

Source: Strait Times