i-Fans, here’s a gadget that could make any Friday movie release pale.

iPhone 6, the youngest in Apples’ i-Family will hit stores in India on Friday. Though the youngest, iPhone 6 promises to be better, bigger, slimmer and faster than its big brothers.

In Patna, people who settle for nothing less than the best, their number is not small in the state capital given the fact that the entry-level phone of this product costs well over Rs 50,000.

Distributors and retailers have seen unprecedented pre-orders so far. As many as 200 residents would be the first to lay their hands on iPhone 6 on Friday, the booking for which closed on Thursday.

Apple, which has stepped up its retail distribution in India this year, has offered pre-booking of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus through its network of stores and multi-brand chains, including Aditya Vision, Krishna agency and Mob expo of Patna. “So far we have received 78 advance bookings of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The bookings will be closed on Thursday. Those who have booked their iPhones will get it on Friday,” said Nishant Prabhakar, the owner of Aditya Vision.

Compared to its predecessor — iPhone 5 — the new edition has got better response in Patna. “While only 15 people had made advance bookings for iPhone 5 when it was launched last year, this time the number has gone up to 25 for the new model,” said Krishna agency manager Sonu.

He added: “The timing of the launch also matters. Since it’s a festive season, people usually splurge, leading to good sale.”

If the distributors were happy, those who have made advance bookings appeared happier.

“It gives a kick to be a part of the first lot of owners of a new product. I would be getting my golden iPhone 6 tomorrow (Friday),” said 32-year-old Shuchi, a homemaker who has booked an “i” for her.

Falling in Shuchi’s line there’s almost a gold rush this year.

“We have almost all the orders of iPhone 6 in golden colour,” said Abhishek, manager of Mob expo. The agency has received eight bookings.

The craze for the phone can be gauged from the fact that some have chosen to land in Patna in advance ahead of the festive season to get hold of the phone.

Smitro (26), a Patna youth pursuing MBA in Delhi, is a case in point.

He has chosen to come home early this Diwali because his parents have decided to gift him an iPhone 6. “I decided to come early because I wanted to be there when my phone was handed over,” he said.

light and plight

The festival of lights has brought delight for consumers and plight for common shopkeepers. While e-tailers like Flipkart and Amazon rule the consumer kingdom these days, the brick-and-mortar stores have hardly any footfall although giants like Patna Central, Big Bazaar and V-Mart among others are offering Diwali offers. Faced with customers with online shopping stars in their eyes, city shopkeepers argue that they have to put up with higher purchase prices and establishment costs and cannot afford to match those fabled 70-90 per cent discounts found online. As Diwali, India’s biggest buy-buy season, nears, Piyush Kumar Tripathi of The Telegraph checks out the slugfest between retail, e-tail and hypermarkets, and hear out what shopkeepers have to say: