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iPhone 11 and 11 Pro go on sale around the globe

Yes, there will be lines.

Daniel Van Boom
Daniel Van Boom is an award-winning Senior Writer based in Sydney, Australia. Daniel Van Boom covers cryptocurrency, NFTs, culture and global issues. When not writing, Daniel Van Boom practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, reads as much as he can, and speaks about himself in the third person.
Daniel Van Boom
Apple iPhone 11 on sale San Francisco
1 of 44 James Martin/CNET

On Friday, Sept. 20, Apple's iPhone 11 lineup went on sale around the world, in a staggered start from Australia and other Pacific Ocean locales across Asia and Europe and finally to the US as the shopping day began in each time zone.

Justin Harris and Ross Hendrix from Oakland, California, were at the front of the line to get the new iPhone 11 Pro Max at the Apple Store at San Francisco's Union Square. They say they've been coming out the day the latest iPhone goes on sale "for forever."

Apple iPhone 11 on sale San Francisco
2 of 44 James Martin/CNET

There were a few hundred people in a snaking line along Stockton Street waiting to buy a new iPhone 11 at 7:30 a.m. on Friday.

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3 of 44 James Martin/CNET

Natalie Derkach, a 29-year-old from Moscow, got in line at the San Francisco Union Square store shortly after 8 a.m. By 9, she still was toward the back of the line but didn't care how long the wait was. She planned to buy the space gray iPhone 11 Pro in San Francisco because it was cheaper than in her home of Russia. It was "just chance" that she was in the US during the launch, she said.

Apple iPhone 11 on sale San Francisco
4 of 44 James Martin/CNET

Norton was the only dog in line, and he's been to every iPhone on-sale day except the first one.

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5 of 44 James Martin/CNET

Shaan from Portland was in town for work and is here to pick up an iPhone 11 Pro in space gray, upgrading from an iPhone XS. "It's the camera, why you upgrade," he said.

Apple iPhone 11 on sale San Francisco
6 of 44 James Martin/CNET

Justin Harris snaps a selfie as the doors open at the Apple Store in Union Square in San Francisco just before 8 a.m. on Friday.

Apple iPhone 11 on sale San Francisco
7 of 44 James Martin/CNET

A colorful array of iPhones on display in San Francisco.

Apple iPhone 11 on sale San Francisco
8 of 44 James Martin/CNET

Lots of early morning shopping happening here.

Apple iPhone 11 on sale San Francisco
9 of 44 James Martin/CNET
Apple iPhone 11 on sale San Francisco
10 of 44 James Martin/CNET

Lines of around 200 people stretched along Post Street and around the corner to Stockton Street in San Francisco where people zigzagged through corrals waiting to enter.

Apple iPhone 11 on sale San Francisco
11 of 44 James Martin/CNET

Making the iPhone 11 Pro purchase in San Francisco.

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12 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

Thanks to the magic of time zones, Sydney is one of the first cities in the world where the iPhone launches each year. Here's Apple's flagship store on Friday just before 8 a.m. local time.

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13 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

Muhannad Al Nadaf, 21, was the first in line in Sydney to get an iPhone. He's lined up for the past five years in the hopes of being the first person in the city to snag a new iPhone. He achieved that goal for the first time this year, rocking up to the store at 3 a.m., a full five hours before launch time.

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14 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

Sydney's first iPhone owner. He bought a space gray iPhone 11 Pro Max.

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15 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

Mazen Kourouche was No. 2 in line. He's been first in line for the past five years. In 2017, he even waited in line for 11 full days to get the iPhone 8.

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16 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

Around 100 people came to Sydney's Apple Store for the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro launch.

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17 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

There were three separate lines. Here are people who didn't preorder a phone and rocked up hoping for the best.

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18 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

Jack, a 17-year-old student, said he couldn't reserve an iPhone because he doesn't have photo ID.

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When the doors opened at 8 a.m., Apple Store employees gave customers a standing ovation as they entered the store.

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20 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET
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21 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET
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22 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

Here they are again.

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23 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

The 11 Pro Max's in-store display.

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24 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

Apple also launches the Apple Watch Series 5 on Friday.

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25 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

So many options, not enough time (or money).

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26 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

Did you know Apple's Stores are animal friendly?

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27 of 44 Ian Knighton/CNET

An Apple logo floats above the crowd in Sydney.

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28 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

In New York City, the flagship 5th avenue Apple Store, known as "The Cube," reopened Friday with the iPhone 11 launch.

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29 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

The first fellow in line, Ryan Romero, 24, emerges with his phone -- an iPhone 11 Pro Max -- and is greeted with cheers from Apple staff and others in line.

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30 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

Customers are greeted by 900 Apple employees as they descend the central staircase from the glass box entry into the store.

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31 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

This place is abuzz.

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32 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

Tim Cook was on hand in New York to greet the fans.

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33 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

And of course pose for press photos...

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34 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

Lots of selfies were taken with the CEO, including this one by Tejas Davda. He came in from New Jersey to "share the excitement of the new iPhone launch with the other Apple fans." 

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35 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

Romero, the first buyer at the Fifth Ave. store poses with his new phone in front of the staircase.

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36 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of product marketing, was in New York. 

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37 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

As was Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing.

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38 of 44 Sarah Tew/CNET

Guests were encouraged to sit down in the teaching area of the store for a quick tutorial on taking slofies, the term Apple invented for iPhone 11's new slow-motion selfie.

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39 of 44 Érika García / CNET

Fans of Apple in Madrid arrived at the iconic store in Puerta del Sol up to three hours before the store opened at 8:00 a.m.

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40 of 44 Érika García / CNET

The line of people who had reserved an iPhone 11 in advance was way shorter than the line for people who just wanted to go in before making a decision to buy.

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41 of 44 Érika García / CNET

An hour after the doors opened in Madrid, people continued to arrive.

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42 of 44 Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

On to Mexico, where Arturo Delgado was the first buyer of an iPhone 11. And he went all they way, going for the iPhone 11 Pro Max with 256GB of storage.

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43 of 44 Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

Kevin Garduño bought two iPhone Pro Max (64GB) phones in midnight green.

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44 of 44 Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

Garduño arrived in Mexico City at 1 a.m. on Friday after traveling 150 kilometers from his home in Pachuca, Hidalgo.

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