New iPhones Are Here — but Are They Worth the Wait?

The newest iPhones — and the usual lines of fans — are officially here.

After becoming available for preorder earlier this month, the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus became available for customer pickup in Apple stores at 8 a.m. local time today.

In Australia, a robot named “Lucy” was fourth in line at the Sydney store in place of the human controlling it, marketing executive Lucy Kelly, Reuters reports.

In London, the first person in line, Sam Sheikh, got there on Monday evening because he’s “a big Apple fan” who is “desperate for” the rose-gold-colored model and had heard stock is very limited, he tells CNBC.

In San Francisco, six people started waiting in line on Tuesday evening, CNET reports.

Analysts expect 12 million to 13 million phones to be sold this weekend, up from more than 10 million for the launch of the iPhone 6 last year, Reuters reports.

But not all so-called early adopters are finding themselves enthused about the latest reincarnation.

Wall Street Journal personal technology columnist Joanna Stern describes the iPhone 6S as “the best iPhone yet” but adds:

It’s also proof that smartphone innovation has plateaued … Save for a new pink color option and some new touchscreen and camera tricks, Apple’s latest phones … look and feel exactly like the blockbuster iPhones released a year ago.

Tech repair site iFixit has already disassembled an iPhone 6S to compare its innards to that of an iPhone 6, which 9to5Mac reports also reveals few differences:

The iPhone 6S features a largely similar internal design to the iPhone 6, which is to be expected considering the nearly identical exterior design. There is, however, an added Taptic Engine for the new 3D Touch capability of the device. … The iPhone 6S features a slightly smaller battery to make room for the new Taptic Engine.

To learn more about what makes the newest iPhones different — including whether those features are worth the money — be sure to check out “Tempted by the New iPhone? 7 Points to Ponder Before You Pay Hundreds.”

If you’re sticking with the prior model, check out “13 iPhone 6 Hacks Everyone Should Know.”

Will you buy the new iPhone? Sound off in our Forums. It’s the place where you can speak your mind, explore topics in-depth, and post questions and get answers.