Apple's new iPhone made its hotly awaited debut on Friday in Asia as buyers, many of whom had camped in line for days, stormed outlets to get their hands on the latest gadget to hit shelves.
Sales of the device -- which combines a music and video player, cellphone and Web gizmo -- kicked off in New Zealand, where a 22-year-old student became its first owner, and will roll out to Europe and the United States, reaching more than 20 countries.
"I'm going to put this on charge, have a play around with it and have a nice long sleep," said Jonny Gladwell, who queued in freezing temperatures for around 60 hours to be the world's first to buy the iPhone at a minute past midnight on Friday.
Standing in freezing cold outside Vodafone shops, hundreds of people across three New Zealand cities were feted with music and food before a spirited countdown that ended with Gladwell being ushered through the doors.
Apple shares have risen by nearly 4 percent over the last week in anticipation of the rollout. The stock closed 1.4 percent higher at $176.63 on Thursday, compared with the Nasdaq's 1 percent gain.
With its latest device, Apple, the creator of the Macintosh computer and iPod, hopes to ride on burgeoning demand for smartphones, an area which handset makers like South Korea's Samsung Electronics, Taiwan's HTC and Finland's Nokia are fighting to dominate.
The first version of the iPhone was snapped up by 270,000 people within days of its June 2007 launch.
"The iPhone phenomenon is going to stimulate the adoption of smartphones. It will change the landscape, the way the iPod did for the MP3 player industry," said Charles Guo, analyst at JPMorgan.
"With its aggressive pricing, the pie for smartphones is only going to get bigger."
Analysts expect the new iPhone to draw as many as 10.5 million buyers worldwide this year, and with 6 million of the older devices already in use, help Apple beat its target of selling 10 million devices by the end of 2008.
A Vodafone New Zealand spokeswoman said more than 400 phones were sold in the early morning. Softbank Corp, which sells the iPhone in Japan, said over 1,500 people lined up outside its flagship Tokyo store. Policemen yelled at passers-by to make room, while staff guided the crowd through three countdown rehearsals.
"I have three kids, but I pleaded with my husband to let me come out for this," said 33-year-old Web designer Shiho Hishida, who trekked out from far-flung Chiba to join the queue on Thursday.
Guards in kevlar vests and helmets brandished shotguns and stood guard over 500 devices on sale in Hong Kong, a city that has seen its share of unruly crowds at major product launches.
"It's just a phone," said Scott James, a New Zealand native who had waited an hour and a half to collect his purchase.
"It's disappointing. Once you are here, it's worthwhile I guess. But had I known, I wouldn't have."
The next-generation iPhone is Asia's first taste of a touch-screen device previously available only in the United States and Europe.
The latest has faster Web links than the first, supports third-party software like games and instant messaging and is heavily subsidised by a coterie of phone carriers, some of which are giving it away to lure new users. Its email capability squarely targets Research in Motion's Blackberry.
"There are only a few moments in history when a new electronic device impresses people so much, and this is definitely one of them," Softbank chief executive Masayoshi Son said.
Last month, Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Apple shares to $210 from $185, expecting the US giant to move 27 million iPhones in calendar 2009.
PiperJaffray went higher, estimating 45 million units will be sold next year, enroute to helping Apple expand its share of the US handset market to 8 perc