The new iPhone models have gone on sale, with eager shoppers - many of whom had camped out - flooding into Apple's flagship stores. Technology fans in Japan were among the first to get the top-of-the-range iPhone 5S, as well as the new 'budget' version, the 5C.
Apple stores in the UK also opened early, at 8am, with estimates of 1,500 people outside one London store. Staff at many of the shops had worked through the night to prepare for launch.
Devotees of the technology company started queuing at London's Regent Street branch on Monday, with the local council forcing some to take down temporary shelters.
Gad Harari, 17, from north London, said he had been offered hundreds of pounds for his place at the head of the queue.
Some Apple fans outside a Tokyo store took things even further - reportedly beginning their wait a full 10 days before today's launch.
"I am super happy," said the first customer to buy a 5S at the Tokyo store. "The first thing I want to do is to try out the finger print recognition function, that is what I looked for the most."
The premium 5S device, said to be twice as fast as its predecessor, sets itself apart from its competitors with its Touch ID feature, which allows users to unlock their phone with the touch of a finger.
However, some analysts have criticised the brightly-coloured plastic 5C, seen as an attempt to gain a bigger foothold in markets such as China, as "nowhere near" cheap enough.
5S prices start at €650 in the UK, while the cheaper 5C phone costs from €556. A 64 gigabyte model costs a hefty €840.
The new iOS 7 system launched on Wednesday
Apple will be hoping the updated devices give it new momentum in the worldwide smartphone market, which is increasingly dominated by cheaper handsets running Android's operating system - particularly those by market leader Samsung.
Today's launch may also provide a distraction from criticisms of new operating system iOS 7. Many users reported problems downloading the update when it launched earlier this week and several security flaws have also been exposed.
One flaw allows someone to access photos and videos, even when a iPhone or iPad has been locked using the security passcode. The media can then be deleted or shared.
Another glitch in iOS 7 allows a potential thief to bypass the Find my iPhone feature by putting the device in airplane mode to stop it communicating its location. Apple is expected to fix the problems in a future update.
The new iPhones go on sale today in the US, Australia, China, Canada, France, Germany, Singapore and UK. It is thought it may hit the Irish market within 3 to 4 weeks; the prices of which will be set by the network providers.
