The Line For iPhones in MePa Stretches Almost to the River

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This morning at 7am, Apple unleashed its newest phone, the iPhone 4, upon the city and the world. We were on the scene to capture the madness.

Who in their right mind would go to the Meatpacking District at 6am to buy a new cell phone? Many hundreds of people, apparently. The iPhone 4 is out today, and Apple's MePa store opened at 7am to start selling them off to the masses (even if the diner across the street can't be bothered to serve breakfast until 8am—how's that for a little perspective?)

The line stretched along 14th Street from the store's entrance on Ninth Avenue all the way to Tenth Avenue (under the High Line, the Hudson in plain view) and north around the corner up to at least West 15th Street. It was actually divided, with pre-orderers off to one side and walk-ins on the other. Way too early for frenzy or fighting, the largely lackadaisical line was attended by many, many blue-shirted, chanting Apple employees and black-shirted crowd-control personnel, all of whom were passing the time pecking at iPhones (see also dozens of customers who—frothing for new iPhones—fondled healthy but minutes-from-obsolete old iPhones).

But they won't all end up in a trash can on 14th Street! Acid green- and yellow-shirted line parasites are ready and waiting to buy your old ones (to sell on eBay? To ship overseas? Hell if we know.) Smile! Bloggers, press people, and incredulous onlookers will photograph and film you while you do it!

Line-waiters were treated to free Starbucks coffee, doughnut holes, Smartwater, and Honest Tea (there are people in this city who are more enthusiastic about pomegranate than we are about just about everything?) Sip slowly, nerds: The store opened on time but you're not going anywhere for hours.
· iPhrenzy [Racked NY]