<<Print>>

Only a handful of people waited outside Apple's flagship London store for the iPhone 8 this morning - a far cry from the snaking queues of previous years.

Queues were smaller than usual because of the anticipation surrounding the ultra premium iPhone X, which offers a radical redesign, new screen and advanced camera features. That is released in November.

The special edition iPhone X features Apple's first ever edge-to-edge screen and facial recognition technology.

This can be used to unlock the phone and make payments via Apple Pay, as well control new animated emoji - named Animoji - using their facial expressions.

The iPhone X is due to be released on November 3, starting at £999, making it the most expensive iPhone ever.

2012: There were huge queues outside the Covent Garden Apple store for the iPhone 5

As a result many consumers appear willing to skip purchasing the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.

The smartphones support wireless battery charging, as well as improved camera and screen specifications.

The two phones also house Apple's new A11 Bionic processor chip, which the tech giant says is the 'most powerful and smartest' ever in a smartphone and makes the 8 up to 70 per cent faster than the previous iPhone.