iPhone X UAE launch: Huge queues as Apple fans camp overnight in Dubai

Doors opened at 8am on Friday morning but some had been waiting at Dubai Mall since the previous afternoon for the new phone

IPhone enthusiasts eager to purchase its latest version flocked to Dubai Mall's Apple Store with some having flown for four hours from their home countries.

The doors opened at 8am for the first two customers - the first online buyer and the one at the front of the queue since 2pm on Thursday. The store's staff lined up in two rows clapping and cheering for them as they entered.

Amit Gopal, a 34 year old tax consultant from South Africa, said it was important for him to buy it first, so he can have it in time before stock runs out.

Luckily for him, he managed to reserve his spot online after a lot of refreshing and logging in and out, and had to only wait from 6am to be the first customer to walk inside, along with his wife.

"Every second year I do an upgrade to get a new iPhone. This is my first time to come to a launch, as I have just moved to the UAE and here they have the Apple Store, whereas in South Africa they only have resellers."

"I got to walk in with people clapping and smiling -  everybody was so enthusiastic; I felt like a celebrity, cameras around everyone saying 'look at me', it is an overwhleming feeling," said his wife Trusha Makan.

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Queues at the launch of the iPhone X at Apple Dubai Mall. Anna Nielsen for The National

"It is fantastic if you are a true Apple fan to come to one of their events; he is a super, super fan and I am starting to become one. When I got married to him I told people I got married to the franchise," she added.

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Qais Alhssni, 30, hasn't slept for two nights since he flew from Oman straight to the mall.

When he arrived yesterday at 7am the queues had not yet formed, so he kept roaming around the mall until he stood in line at 7pm last night.

'From that time until midnight, we had to stay on our feet, they said we had to stay standing until the photographers arrive, they arrived at midnight," explained the 30 year old businessman.

"After that we were separated into groups based on who came first and then we were able to sit down while we waited."

He said he managed to endure the long hours by sipping coffee and after having accomplished his mission to buy one phone for himself and the second for his wife, "the fatigue is starting to show".

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A girl reacts as she tries an iPhone X at the Apple Omotesando store on November 3, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. Tomohiro Ohsumi / Getty Images

This was his first launch experience, as he usually orders the phone online.

"But my friends who came with me insisted that I join them, and I honestly didn't expect not to be able to sleep at all, but I was too excited anyway to sleep."

"And once I saw all the welcoming and action when we got in, I thought thank God, and I felt relieved, because I wasn't sure I was getting there," he added.

Imat Musaev and his brother Musa travelled all the way from Kyrgyzstan to purchase two phones each, with a business perspective in mind.

Along with two other friends, they bought a total of eight phones, and will use one each and then resell the second one back home, where they don't have an Apple Store.

"How much profit we make depends on the price in Deira now."

"We will go tonight to Deira to analyse the market, and based on the value they sell it for, we will make profit in Kyrgyzstan,' said Imat, 27.

They have been lining since 4pm yesterday, with their two carry on chairs and snacks.

They said they are willing to do this again if it proves profitable.

"In Kyrgyzstan you have to think about everything to make money, we don't have any resources, only one lake for tourism, and one mountain for ski tourism, but they are really good," added the business school graduate.