Huge crowds line up for Apple’s iPhone 5 as it launches in 22 more countries

“The iPhone 5 went on sale in 22 more countries on Friday, making it now available in a total of 31 nations around the world, in Apple’s most aggressive launch schedule ever,” AppleInsider reports.

“The list of countries where the iPhone 5 launched on Friday is: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland,” AppleInsider reports. “They join the 9 countries where the iPhone 5 debuted a week ago: the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.”

AppleInsider reports, “As can be seen in the included videos [in the full article], customers queued up around the world to be among the first to get their hands on the iPhone 5.”

Read more and see the videos in the full article here.

Maps app grumbles, minor protest in France fail to dampen worldwide Apple iPhone 5 fever

“Apple fans queued around city blocks worldwide on Friday to get their hands on the new iPhone 5 – but grumbles about inaccurate maps tempered the excitement,” Peter Schwartzstein and Tim Kelly report for Reuters. “The new phone went on sale across, Europe, Asia and Australia with mobile carriers reporting record demand that looked likely to stretch Apple’s supply capacity.”

“Apple has booked more than 2 million orders for the device in the first 24 hours, double the first-day sales of the previous iPhone 4S,” Schwartzstein and Kelly report. “Some analysts expect Apple to sell up to 10 million iPhone 5 models in the remaining days of September and JP Morgan estimates the phone release could provide a $3.2 billion boost to the U.S. economy in the fourth quarter. The amount is almost the same as the economy of Fiji.”

Schwartzstein and Kelly report, “Hundreds of French iPhone fans lining up at Apple’s main store in Paris got an earful from disgruntled employees and former retailers protesting against the group’s policies. Some 20 former staffers of independent Apple distributors which closed after struggling to compete with Apple’s own stores marched in front of the Paris store. Joining them were three store employees striking to protest against Apple’s refusal to offer perks such as meal vouchers and a yearly bonus of an extra one month’s salary that are standard for many French workers.”

MacDailyNews Take: No wonder France is going down la toilette.

Schwartzstein and Kelly report, “Apple plans to sell the new phone in 100 countries by the end of the year, ramping up competition in a smartphone market that has already reached a fever pitch.”

Read more in the full article here.