TAIPEI - Crowds of people sat huddled outside the mobile phone shops across Taipei for hours early Friday as they eagerly await the release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the newest models of Apple Inc's smartphone.

Taiwan Star, the island's emerging mobile carrier, started selling the latest iPhone models with their contract from midnight, getting a step ahead of other major telecom companies whose official sales began on Friday morning.

A man surnamed Chen, who lodged an online reservation a couple of days ago, was the first consumer to get his iPhone 6 Plus in Taiwan Star's midnight event. He said the phone was a gift for his wife who has just delivered their baby.

Another man surnamed Lin, who led the line in front of an Apple store for off contract phones, said he had been in a queue since Thursday afternoon.

"This is a birthday gift for my sister," he said.

Taiwan's telecom carriers all expect a fresh buying frenzy following the debut. James Cheng, general manager of Taiwan Mobile, said consumers have already placed orders for 200,000 units of the new iPhones with the carrier's contract.

The mobile operators also invited bands, magicians and even massage therapists to draw queuing customers in Friday's official release.

More than 10 million units of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were sold around the world on the first weekend after their initial launch in nine countries and regions including the United States, Germany and Hong Kong last Friday.