Where have the iQueues gone? Barely a DOZEN shoppers line up outside Apple's flagship London store to get their hands on the new £700 iPhone 8

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