Want to be first in line for an iPhone? Rent a tent. | Hacker News Reader

Want to be first in line for an iPhone? Rent a tent.

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45 pointsjudegomila18 comments

It's a hilarious money making idea but I have trouble understanding why people queue up overnight for these things[1] as opposed to buying it the next day or next week. It's just a phone, albeit a rather lovely one.

[1] Although not nearly as puzzling as the people who queued up for Windows 95.

I'm not really sure what to do. I'm an app developer and really need the phone, but I had a lot of trouble with the pre-order system, and couldn't get an order through until the ship date was back to July 14. If I don't go camp out, I won't get one for a month.

Decide what your hourly time is worth and then perhaps buy one on eBay instead?

Because the phone is a part of your identity and if you were a True Believer enough to stay out for several hours to get it, then that is an awesome story to tell people every time you whip it out to show them how cool you are. See also attending movies on opening night, going to the midnight release of Harry Potter, etc etc.

I'm not being facetious in the least.

P.S. I remember Windows 95 as being a quantum leap over Windows 3.1. Everything about your computer was magic and new after that one.

A few people might be like that, some people enjoy the atmosphere and meeting over Apple fans (and seem to have too much time on their hands), overs can't wait for anything, and a few are developers who want to test the apps they have been writing for weeks, on an actual device, and be the first to utilize the new phones abilities.

I waited 20 minutes for an ipad in line, got bored and left. It took me two weeks to get one from the Apple store, when they had supplies, despite putting my name on the list. I had produces apps for people, and they were doing strange things, and it was not easy finding out why without the actual device.

I walked into a BestBuy at lunch time on iPad launch day and was out the door with an iPad in 10 minutes. There was a huge crowd at the Apple store and people who camped out. I slept, had a nice breakfast, got some work done and then got the iPad along with other errands. Priorities I suppose.

That's a big part of it, but it's also the experience. I lined up for the iPhone 3G when it was released in Canada and the experience was great. I felt like I was with "my people" - and spent most of the couple hour wait talking with the other geeks in line about our Apple products, BS'ing about rumours/news.

When the iPad was released in Australia the queues outside the Apple stores were long with fans who'd been there much / most / all of the night.

Other distributors with plenty of stock opened on time to ... no queues, and provided prompt sales all day.

People aren't queueing simply to get an iPad. They are there to partake in the experience. The act of queuing and hanging out with like minded people and making the purchase at the actual Apple store is as much a part of the package as actually getting the iPad.

If sales are as strong as the ipad was on release date, it might go out of stock for a month or two.

You may be the first in line to wait overnight, but you may not be the first person to buy the iPhone at this Apple Store.

I camped for the iPad launch and they split the lines in two a few hours before store opening. Folks with reservations got to go in first. For every ten people with a reservation they only let one in without a reservation.

Still a really fun experience meeting fellow enthusiasts and you may get your mug on CNN, NYTimes, Reuters, AP, random world newspapers. :P I was lucky enough to be the first to walk out w/ an iPad at SF Apple store even though I was third in the reserved line.

I figured out an "exploit", if it could be called that—my MBP died (from a faulty video card, thankfully recalled) on the iPad release day, so I booked a Genius Bar appointment for first thing in the morning, and was let in ahead of both queues. I could have purchased an iPad right then, if I had had the inclination.

The AT&T iPhone reservation system was only live for 1 day before it got overloaded and shutdown. I know lots of people that got stuck in the middle of the process and couldn't even enter in their credentials without it failing in the middle of the process. My bet is there will be less reservations for this phone than the ipad.

That was the same situation at the Scottsdale Apple Store for the iPad launch. I didn't reserve, so I was in the other line, and they really did let in one person for every ten people (at least). It was maddening, but there were a few nice people to talk to at least.

Of all reasons to spend the night on the street -- a new iPhone? The economy must be getting better...or maybe I am just getting old. I feel embarrassed knowing that in some places hungry people are lining up like this for food.

It's hardly new, remember the people who camped out weeks in advance to see Star Wars episode one?

If you're planning on wandering down at 6:50am to your pre-booked tent you may be in for a surprise. Generally Apple frown on "placeholders", at two launches I've been at stores have sent an employee out a few hours before opening to assign numbers to those already waiting.

Seems like a clever piece of Viral Marketing to me!

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