WESTLAKE — Critics and investors may have been underwhelmed at the announcement of the two new iPhone models, but that didn’t stop more than 100 people from lining up in front of the Apple Store at Crocker Park, early Friday morning, to be among the first to get their hands on the new phone.
Friday marked the first day consumers could purchase the iPhone 5s or the iPhone 5c. Most of the people in line were there to get the higher end iPhone 5s with its new security feature of a fingerprint reader.
John Booth, of Westlake, was the first person in line, as he arrived at 1 p.m. Thursday afternoon to start waiting.
“On the launch day, you never know what kind of line you’re going to have,” he said. “I was more surprised that the line didn’t really begin to form until the wee, wee hours this morning. A couple launches ago there were a hundred people line up at 8 p.m. the night before.”
Booth said this was the second time he’s stood in line for a launch, the previous time coming for the release of the iPhone 4, as he usually orders his phone online because he’s out of town for work. This time around, though, Apple didn’t offer orders before the launch of iPhone 5s, so he had to wait it out.
For others, waiting in line was an opportunity to spend time with family, with the added bonus of being one of the first to get the latest Apple product.
“Waiting in line today gave me the opportunity to spend time with my sister,” Alli Harden, of Avon, said. “She’s young and pulls all-nighters all the time, but me being a mom, I don’t to do this very often. This was kind of an opportunity for us to hang out. Besides, I’m kind of a geek, and I want a new iPhone every year. Might as well hit two birds with one stone.”
Standing in line waiting for the latest and greatest gadget from Apple wasn’t anything new to many of the people there, as most people said they do it regularly.
“I’m here every year when they release a new iPhone,” said Jeff Robinson, of Cleveland. “I come here every year. This is a normal thing for me. I like the new devices; it’s new and exciting each time.”
The Apple Store was prepared for the large number of people waiting in line, as they had part of the sidewalk roped off for those who wanted to wait. They also had coffee, water and snacks for those who waited as well.
So why exactly is it so important for people to stand in line for hours, or even sometimes days, to get the new phone?
“They’ve only got about 100 phones in the 5s model and there’s about a hundred people in line,” Booth said. “If you don’t get here first, you don’t get the phone you want.”
Booth said he had his heart set on getting a black 64 GB model.
Toward the end of the line, Apple employees were breaking the bad news to people who were just showing up that they were already out of stock of a number of the models.
For at least one of the people waiting in line, Apple products have become a way of life.
“I’m a die hard Apple fan. I love Apple, and I appreciate Apple and what they’ve done for my life — making things easier, more innovative and more intuitive,” said Nick Piller, of Amherst. “I just need the new iPhone because my iPhone 4 is getting rather out-of-date.”
Source: News Herald
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