Sightseeing is second: Foreigners brave rain to queue overnight on Orchard Road for new iPhone 15

The launch of new Apple iPhone models always brings anticipation and a sizable crowd outside retail stores each year.

And it seems it's no different this year. 

The latest iPhone 15 officially goes on sale today (Sept 21), but ardent fans - many of them foreigners - were spotted queuing overnight outside retail stores in Singapore, some with luggage in tow. 

A TikTok video shared on Thursday showed long lines had formed outside the Apple store in Orchard Road.

The TikTok user said that there were about 300 people in the queue, and most of them were Vietnamese nationals.

Customers in Vietnam can only purchase an iPhone 15 a week later, the TikTok user explained. 

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@khoingong/video/7281410155265182978?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7252157227077830162[/embed]

There were also queues outside the Courts outlet at The Heeren.

According to 8World, hundreds of people have been waiting outside the store since 4.30pm yesterday.

The queues continued to grow throughout the night, even with the drizzle at 8pm.

Several Courts employees were seen setting up barriers outside. There were also signs in Mandarin, English and Vietnamese.

Vietnamese national Linda, 31, told the Chinese news outlet that she arrived in Singapore two days ago.

She joined the queue at Orchard Road out of curiosity after seeing so many people at the Courts store.

"I've used my iPhone for three years. Besides, I have never queued up abroad. I thought it would be an interesting experience, so I joined the queue," she said.

Another Vietnamese tourist, who gave his name as Phuc Buu, is an iPhone fan.

For the 27-year-old, the real purpose of his trip is to snag the phone. Sightseeing is second.

"I don't think the phone is expensive," he said. "The feeling of being the first to buy an iPhone 15 before others in Vietnam is priceless."

Other Vietnamese nationals saw the dollar signs when they joined the queue.

A student, who gave his name as Bao, said that he plans to buy 20 iPhone 15s with his savings and sell them to mobile phone stores in Vietnam.

The 24-year-old said that he can earn up to $300 for each mobile phone he resells.

The retail prices of iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus and Pro model here start at $1,299, $1,449 and $1,809 respectively. 

Speaking to Vietnamese news outlet VnExpress International, an owner of a non-authorised Apple store in Hanoi said he will be flying to Singapore to queue for the phone.

It is lucrative especially when they can resell the price of each phone 37 per cent higher than Apple, according to the news outlet.

An Apple customer service member told AsiaOne on Friday (Sept 22) that each customer can only purchase up to two iPhone 15 models in-store.

chingshijie@asiaone.com