Apple's iPhone 5 goes on sale around the world
(CBS News) Apple's iPhone 5 went on sale Friday morning and as expected, lines formed around the world. But, the celebrated smartphone's release did not come without drama. From protesters in Paris to burglaries in Japan, the iPhone 5 has arrived to a global frenzy.
Australians were among the first to get their hands on Apple's newest smartphone. As to who was the first to purchase the iPhone 5? That is up for debate.
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According to The Australian, Todd Foot was the first person in line at the George Street Apple Store in Sydney. However, it's been widely reported that a brother and sister duo, James and Tamsyn Vohradsky, were the first to emerge with the world's first iPhone 5.
In Japan, it was reported that burglars were the first to get their hands on the iPhone 5. The Wall Street Journal reported a total of 116 iPhone 5s were stolen from three stores in Osaka.
In France, it was feared that Apple Store employees would go on strike, but the company may have staved off the threat with negotiations over worker pay. According to MacWorld UK, the strike failed, but protesters made an appearance at the Apple Store in Paris.
In New York, hundreds of fans were lined up at several Apple Store locations. At Apple's flagship 5th Avenue location, people lined a week early for the iPhone 5.
(At left, watch the evolution of the iPhone over the years to the iPhone 5.)
There's no doubt demand for the phone is high. Apple reported 2 million pre-orders in the first 24 hours of sale, double the previous record of 1 million held by the iPhone 4S.
Apple announced the iPhone 5 on Sept. 12 in San Francisco. The new smartphone features a 4-inch display, 4G LTE, 1080p HD video quality, 720p HD front-facing video, Panoramic photos, a new Lightening connector and EarPods.
The iPhone 5 is now available U.S, Canada, U.K. France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. More countries will see the iPhone 5 on Sept. 28.
