Stop Everything: The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus Are Now in Stores

The wait is over, but the lines are not. Finally, Apple’s newest smartphones -- the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus -- hit store shelves today. The next gen handsets launched in 12 countries this morning at stores slammed with selfie-snapping hordes of early adopters (and robots, too).

Rain or shine, the hunt is on from the U.S. to China, even in Singapore, where Apple fanatics are braving hazardous air conditions to get their fix.

This time around, some 12 to 13 million iPhones are expected to sell, potentially smashing last year’s iPhone 6 record of 10 million sold. The handsets, mostly different on the inside, are outfitted with several new features, like 3D Touch and a camera that captures 4K videos, 12-megapixel pictures and Live Photos.

Just as countless devotees faithfully do every year around this time, diehards camped out outside Apple Stores for days, desperate to snag the first new models before they fly off shelves. Today, many are hoping to score a limited rose gold-colored edition, so far the hottest jewel in the four-color collection.

If you preordered your iPhone and had it shipped directly to your address, lucky you. You should receive your flashy new toy some time today, that is unless you live in one of these 17 ZIP Codes and, heaven forbid, got swept up in the papal delay. If you preordered your iPhone for pickup at the Apple Store today, you’re in luck, too.

For those who didn’t reserve an iPhone in advance, your best bet is to head to your nearest Apple Store and wait, probably long enough to watch paint dry, if you aren’t already. Even then, there are no guarantees. Stock will run out fast. Better yet, skip the mad rush, stay in your pajamas and buy online. Or, worse comes to worst, pop over to Craigslist or TaskRabbit and pay a warm body to stand in line for you.

Aside from overcrowded Apple Stores, several smartphone carriers are also selling new iPhones today, including Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint. The inevitable downer is that stock is expected to be in limited supply and, yes, expect more lines, long, evil, infuriating lines. Huh, those pricy stand-ins on Craigslist are looking better by the minute.