SYDNEY—A select few Australians will be hours ahead of the pack when they get their hands on Apple's long-awaited iPhone 3G at midnight tonight.
The rest of country will have to wait until tomorrow morning for a chance to buy the new multi-function, touchscreen device.
A late-night launch party is to be held in Sydney tonight before Optus opens its doors at midnight to sell the iPhone to registered customers.
Hundreds are expected to brave the winter chill by queuing outside the Optus store in central Sydney, warmed by fresh coffee, snacks and giveaways.
TV presenter Faustina "Fuzzy" Agolley will host tonight's event, which because of Australia's time zone will be one of the first in Apple's worldwide release of the iPhone.
The rest of Australia will have to wait a few hours.
Registered customers in Victoria and Queensland will be able to pick up the iPhone on Friday morning at Apple's Chadstone store in Melbourne and at its Queen Street store in Brisbane.
Optus says anybody will be able to buy the iPhone on Friday morning, but it will give priority to those who have registered.
Telstra stores around Australia will open from between 6am to 9am tomorrow in anticipation of a rush for the new hand-held device.
Vodaphone customers are expected to start queuing at its central Sydney store at 6am tomorrow before it opens an hour later, along with about 100 other Vodaphone stories across Australia.
The 8GB iPhone will cost $729 for customers who want to pay the whole cost up front.
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