iPhone 4 launch: Updates from iPhone 4 lineups

Ya - The Biltmore (on Camelback in PHX), was kind of nutty. I got my iPhone 3GS last year (via reserve for pickup), and at 9am (ish) there was perhaps 15 people in the non-reserve line and no one in the reserve line. In-out 10 minutes (or less).

iPad - little longer (50-100 feet?), but with no activations to deal with, in-out in 30-40 minutes.

Today - around the corner, around the corner, down to the end of the freakin' mall (Cheesecake factory). The line moved "ok" until the store opened at the normal time (9?) then the amount of people checking phones in dropped by a significant chunk, and the first hour that got me past the first corner, took another 4 hours to get in the doors.

I would have been impressed by the turnout if I hadn't been working late on projects until the wee-hours of the morning (hour 5 hurt). At least they didn't take me into peak-heat (110) this afternoon. There were also "Evaporative coolers" (misters) at the mall, umbrellas being handed out to the crowd, espresso drinks, water, and pizza was provided, so it was handled with some class.

I'm told that the queue outside the O2 shop on Princes Street in Edinburgh stretched around the corner and into Charlotte Square, and that the last person in line was stood right in front of he birthplace of Alexander Graham Bell. Fancy that!

Woodland Mall in Grand Rapids MI had me into-line and out-the-door in well under an hour this afternoon. The separate no-reservation line, which they were running in parallel, and which started forming the day before, had just served someone who'd been in line for 12 hours.

I arrived at the Simi Valley, CA store five minutes before 5 AM. Parking lot was full, walked down by the Apple Store and was about 40th in line... Waited until about 8:30 AM. I'd guess that there were between 600-800 people there within the first half hour.

Some of the people that didn't reserve had been waiting outside since midnight.

Arlington (Clarendon) VA

Arrived 0640 got in line - rep came by about 5 minutes later and said there were two lines about 20 of us were in No Reservation Line - nothing to indicated there was a Reservation Line or where they were. Many more folks in the No Reservation Line

Fedex came by several times with deliveries

We were told there was a ratio of 20 apple sales people to 1 for reserved buyers. Seemed about right .

If you came at 5AM you were in the 1st wave out of the store

Whole Paycheck (Foods) handed out fruit, pastries, croissant sandwiches to their credit

Left store at 1200 - never again - I could no reserve phone on line to be delivered - only p/u at store

Chico personnel bitched when people were standing in front of their door even before they were open

Will say this - met some nice patient folks

Apple folks were very nice through the whole "experience" - passed out water several times too (it was 86 when I started and 95 when I entered the store. Took about 10 minutes to pay and get activated. Red Bull girls came by and their sample perked folks up in the home stretch

My iPone died died _immediately_ after I stepped out of the Apple Store Barton Creek in Austin. Did the in-store activation, and when I tried to place a call after I got outside the doors it wouldn't bring up the lock screen. Took it back inside and they tried to reboot it a few times (that failed) and recharge it. After a few more attempts to get it to work, they brought me back to a genius who issued me a replacement model (not one from the retail box but from separate stock they had under the counter). At any rate new one is restoring backup now.

Kind folks from the Chick-fill-a in mall were kindly handing out free breakfast and coffee. HUGE line.

Delware apple store has about a 3 hour wait just to pick up your reserved apple phone. People started lining up at 3AM

I am visiting the East Coast and staying only 5 miles from the Apple Store in Marlton, NJ. Was in line at 3:45 AM left the line at 9:30 AM because I had a work commitment. I was at the end of the "iPhone non-res" availability. The store was taking a 5 to 1 ratio into the store. 5 people with reservations to 1 without a reservation. The non-reservation line moved only 12 people from the 7 AM opening to the time I had to leave at 9:30 AM. The activation is taking place in the store now instead of being able to purchase the iPhone and activating at home.

It really sucked the way people without a reservation were treated given the Apple website crashed and would not take the reservations.

I have a reservation and confirmation, but just went to see the line 30 minutes in Sherman Oaks, CA that wrapped around the entire backside of the mall and further into the distance.

"Which one is the reservation line?," I asked the Apple guy.

"Just one line," he said. "We'll split them up inside."

"Reservations are kept until close of business today, right?"

"Yes, sir."

If the line wasn't enough to make me go back home, that was. And I have confirmation emails, so I SHOULD be "in their system."

Sounds like Radio Shack was a better choice, though.

Drove by Best Buy at 7:30am and no line had formed yet...not sure if they're allowing walk-ins, but that may be a good call even with the limited stock.

Just going to wait it out. Sounds like there are some antenna and yellow-spot issues, so it won't hurt to wait until later today. And while I'd love to have my new toy today, a couple weeks aren't going to kill me. Heck, I waited for the 3G iPad.

Received mine yesterday morning--thank God as I drove to the local Apple store at about 8:30 (International Plaza in Tampa) to pick up some accessories and the line was insane, stretching all the way to the outer loop road that surrounds the mall--I'd guess somewhere between 750-1000 people. Definitely got some evil stares when I just walked in and out 5 minutes later.