Customers lined up early outside Apple stores in New Jersey Friday, eager to get their hands on the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Customers line up inside Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence for an iPhone 6.
Customers line up inside Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence for an iPhone 6. (Dan Alexander, Townsquare Media NJ)
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A security manager at the Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence said several hundred customers were waiting outside the mall's main entrance four hours before the Apple Store's opening at 8 a.m.

The mood was described as festive, with some people playing cards and other keeping warm with blankets in the chill early morning air.

As the line moved into the mall, several dozen customers at a time were allowed into the store to pick up their pre-ordered iPhones or purchase them on site.

News 12 New Jersey reported similar long, early morning lines outside the Mall at Short Hills with customers sitting in lawn chairs along the sidewalk.  The wait began for 17-year-old J.K. Kinney of Tinton Falls on Thursday afternoon outside the Apple Store inside the Freehold Raceway Mall, showing off his prized purchase this morning and telling the Asbury Park Press, "I'm going to show this off like nobody's business,"

More eager customers began their wait Thursday night outside the Verizon store in on Route 18 in East Brunswick. Andrew Testa, the spokesman for Verizon's New York Metro Region, told NJ.com almost 90 people lined up before the store opened.

Customers play cards while waiting in line at the Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence for an iPhone 6.
Customers play cards while waiting in line at the Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence for an iPhone 6. (Dan Alexander,Townsquare Media NJ)
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Apple had more than 4 million advance orders of its new iPhones in the first 24 hours when it first went on sale-- exceeding its initial supply. Stores had a limited number of phones available for sale today.

The new phones have larger screens, faster performance and a wireless chip for making credit card payments at retail stores by holding the phone near the payment terminal. The phones start at $199 with a two-year service contact.

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