Post date: Sep 19, 2012 8:34:19 PM
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 19, 2012) (REUTERS) - Apple fanatics eager to get their hands on the iPhone 5 lined up in front of the Fifth Avenue Apple store days ahead of the device's official launch scheduled for Friday (September 21).
In anticipation of the launch of the iPhone 5, dozens of enthusiasts have been camping out for almost a week, in front of New York's Fifth Avenue Apple store.
On Wednesday (September 19) the line consisted of around two dozen people who have camped out since last week.
Among them is Hazem Sayed, who started the line last Thursday (September 13) with his colleague.
He explained that bad weather was the toughest part of the experience.
"When it gets cold and chilly you sort of you want to sleep. That's been difficult. Last night was particularly so because it was really quite torrential rain. It was to the point that you couldn't distinguish the sidewalk from the street. The water level was pretty much the same," he told Reuters.
Jessica Mellow who is third in line has also been there since last Thursday. She said camaraderie has formed among people and together they were renting a car, which she said was helpful on Tuesday (September 18) night when a heavy downpour hit the city.
"The past couple nights we were able to get a car rental and park right there just right by the line and take turns holding the tarps down and sleeping in the car at night."
Her friend Keenan Thompson said that people were respectful enough to keep places for those in line, so that fellow iPhone fans can take turns to go home and wash up.
For shorter bathroom breaks people go into the Apple store that is open around the clock.
The group also gets free Wi-Fi access from the store and food is in abundance around busy Fifth Avenue.
Roger Chincilla, a computer programmer likened the experience to urban camping.
"I figured since I can work from home I can work from anywhere. This is no different from me working from so home so I figured I'd be out here. And since in New York City you can't get a lot of camping grounds this is just like camping, with a goal in the end, getting a phone."
Apple said it booked orders for over two million iPhone 5 models in the first 24 hours, reflecting a higher-than-expected consumer demand for the tech giant's new smartphone.
The company said pre-orders outstripped initial supply but that it would deliver most phones as planned by Friday, the first day of delivery. However, many would not be available until October.