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Hundreds camp out to be first in line for iPhone 5

By: Randy Turner

Posted: 09/21/2012 10:49 AM | Comments: 0

After waiting 12 hours, Markus Rogalsky rests in line this morning while waiting to get an iPhone 5 at the Apple store in the Polo Park Shopping Centre.The Apple doors opened at exactly 8 a.m. The iPhone 5 is being launched today. (WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

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Call it a phone-omenon.

Up to 200 customers were camped outside the Apple Store in Polo Park Friday morning – some literally camped beginning Thursday afternoon -- to be first in line for the arrival the iPhone 5.

In fact, Ravdin Rampersad, 37, and two friends were the first to queue up at 1 p.m. Thursday, and braved temperatures that fell to near freezing overnight.

"It was pretty chilly, but we had some blankets, coffee.... and Chinese food," said Rampersad, who was also first in line for the unveiling of the iPhone 4 at the same store two years ago. "I didn’t want to risk the tradition. I wanted to be here first."

When Rampersad, along with wife Celena and friend Joel Chandran were let into the mall at 6 a.m. Friday morning, staff at Apple said, "Hey, Ravy."

The smartphone was also launched in the U.S., U.K., France and Germany. It will go on sale in 22 more countries a week later. The iPhone 5 is thinner, lighter, has a taller screen, faster processor, updated software and can work on faster "fourth generation" mobile networks.

Order numbers indicate the iPhone 5 has overcome initial lukewarm reviews. Apple received 2 million orders in the first 24 hours of announcing its release date, more than twice the number for the iPhone 4S in the same period when that phone launched a year ago.

Analysts have estimated Apple will ship as many as 10 million of the new iPhones by the end of September.

By 3 a.m. Friday morning, the line at the Winnipeg outlet was approaching 100.

"Love them or hate them, you can’t deny that Apple knows how to build the hype," offered Bradley Lacroix, 24, an IT programmer. "You don’t see lineups like this at Samsung."

Lacriox and his mates, 21-year-old computer program student Jared Mariash and 18-year-old university student Lindsey Watson, survived the night in a little tent. "And snuggles," Watson said.

"Honestly, this is about the experience for me," Mariash said. "This is fun to say we did it."

Naturally, those in the lineup passed away the time on their iPhones and iPads, symbolic of a generation raised on technology where "there’s an app for that."

"Phones are so important now," noted Tyler Koshowski, 18. "It’s the only thing you have on you 24-7. Probably the only thing you use more often is shoes."

Interestingly, Colin Champagne, a 21-year-old carpenter said the one application he uses least on his new iPhone is, well, the phone.

"I sold my old iPhone 4 on Kijiji last night (just before getting in line)," Champagne added. "And I kept reaching in my pocket all night thinking it was still there."

The Apple doors opened at exactly 8 a.m., when staff rushed out to greet the customers, running around the length of the lineup and cheering. Within minutes, customers started herding through the front doors. Once inside, Lacroix stuck his head out a few minutes later and loudly announced: "It’s so beautiful guys! It’s awesome!"

Only with Apple launches, there were three television cameras and reporters waiting for the first customers to come out and show off their wares.

When Celena Rampersad was asked if it was crazy to camp out for over 30 hours for a phone, she smiled and replied: "I think it’s crazy not to be here."

Added a beaming Lacroix: "It’s good. I feel like a better person."

randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca

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