Although there don't seem to be reports of any iPhone shortages, people who just want to be the first are already waiting in line in front of Apple stores in Manhattan.
On Tuesday, a line began in front of the Apple store in the shopping-heavy SoHo neighbourhood. The three in line work for the advertising agency Anomaly, which represents the nonprofit organisation Keep a Child Alive. Lindsey Lanpher and David Broad (right) say they're going to put the phones on sale on eBay and donate the proceeds to the foundation.
CNET News.com's New York reporter, Caroline McCarthy, will be line watching until the first iPhone is sold on Friday evening.
The Fifth Avenue Apple store had six people in line as of Tuesday night. First-in-liner Greg Packer was asleep, but second-mate David Clayman was wide awake and said that he was approaching his all-time record for the least amount of sleep in a given period.
At 4pm EDT on Tuesday, the line at the Fifth Avenue Apple store swelled to six. Packer (left) was the proverbial 'first guy in line'. The other was Jessica Rodriguez, who showed up at about 10am and is hoping to score an iPhone for her sister's birthday -- and one for herself if she can nab two.
For food, there's a hotdog stand as well as a ubiquitous Mr Softee van on the corner. The 24-hour Apple store has bathrooms, not to mention computers with email access.
Packer (left), and Clayman were the first in line on Monday night to buy an iPhone at Manhattan's Apple store on Friday. Packer is a retired road maintenance worker from Huntington, New York, who wants to be the first to get the hottest gadget. He's a veteran of the PlayStation 3 wait.
Clayman doesn't really want an iPhone but wants to experience waiting in line and blogging about it. He plans to buy the iPhone and then sell it and donate the proceeds to the Taproot Foundation.
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