07/04/2008, 7:50pm, EDT
Friday, July 4th
iPhone 3G lineup starts at Fifth Ave. Store in NYC
Though its about a week before the expected launch of the iPhone 3G, a line already has begun forming outside the Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue Store in New York City. As of mid-Friday afternoon, about 10 people are in line waiting to purchase the new iPhone 3G, which will be available next Friday (July 11th). Gear Daily reports that "about 10 people in line with the first two being a man and woman with a young child. The security guards will allow everyone to stay and indicated that as of yet there are no plans to put out barricades." Pictures from the store, courtesy of Gear Daily, show people prepared for the seven-day wait with fold-up chairs, overnight gear, and more.
The report claims that number one in line is "a man and woman with a baby whose goal is to set a record for time in line and the first baby to wait with them (or some such nonsense).” Although there is expected to be ample supply, those in line early may be avoiding what is expected to be more time-consuming purchase process that will begin as early as 8AM in US and 7AM in the UK.
Unlike last year, customers will be required to activate their iPhone 3G in store -- and the process, which is expected to take about 10 minutes, will likely keep people in line longer. Last year, Apple touted its "at-home" activation process, which although suffered its own problems, allowed customers to simply (and quickly) purchase their iPhone. The now confirmed two-step activation process maybe designed to prevent sales of "subsidized" iPhones that could easily be unlocked, but will force stores to deal with longer lines and prolong logistical issues around the sales process.
Leaked AT&T memos show that the insistence on control is expected to produce heavy demands on AT&T staff, to the extent that the company is calling for extra part-time help simply to run iPhone from storage to clerks, "to facilitate unbricking." In addition, the telecom giant is further pressuring workers to take extra four- to seven-hour shifts in other unorthodox roles for launch weekend, such as Greeter, Crowd Manager or Floor Coordinator.
Filed under: iPhone
Other story tags: iPhone 3G, Fifth Avenue
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Baby in Line outside?
...for a week? I see a DYFS visit in their future.
reminds me....
... of PS3 launch.
Wanted to break a record
is what the first guy in line said. He said he wasn't sure if he'd keep his baby waiting in line too. Surely, everyone who tries to break a record can't be considered an idiot. People go to extremes to get recognized, but that's their thing. I wouldn't do it, but I'm not going to put down people who try. I keep hearing that they should get a life. But what they're doing is part of their life. They're getting social interaction by standing on line and having a good time. What's wrong with that? More power to them. No worse than standing in line for concert tickets.
bad parenting IMHO
but not with a baby...thats just bad parenting.
complete retards
what a bunch of douchebags... kill me if I ever have that little else in my life to manage...
Apple employees
Apple sent bunch of own employees to NY to line up front of it's own store.
Look how well it works.
retards
retards are what they are
every adult
... in that line at the moment is a complete and utter IDIOT. I think emark's point is spot-on. How on earth can any of those people not have more pressing or interesting or worthy things to do than occupy a spot on line in front of an Apple store for a frikkin' WEEK?!
Wouldn't it be funny
If they didn't even sell the new iPhone there, is AT&T there to activate them?
re: get a life
Sorry, odo, but if you had a life of any type, you wouldn't be wasting a whole week sitting outside of a store so you could get a phone 'first' or pretend you become some type of 'celebrity'.
And I'd like to see NYC's family services go over there and make sure they aren't abusing their child (having a kid in line with a bunch of iphone-fan-boys talking about how great it will be to get iPhone 2.0 over iPhone 1.0 - which is basically the exact same device - sounds like cruelty to me).
And, assuming they have jobs, I guess this is one great way to spend a week's vacation. "Hey, what did you do on your week off?" "Oh, went to NY!" "Yeah, what did you do, see some great broadway plays/musicals? Check out the museums? Hit some of those ritzy, overpriced restaurants? See the Statue of Liberty?" "Went to the Apple store" "OK, then what?" "Oh, that was it. We stood outside an apple store for 7 days." "Oh, yeah, sounds like fun. Um, BTW, the boss wants to talk to you. Something about a pink slip, I believe".