On Friday morning, hundreds of iPhone owner hopefuls gathered outside of Apple stores across the Bay Area awaiting the released of the iPhone 4S. According to SFist, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak was the first in line at the Los Gatos store, armed with his trusty Segway.
According to KTVU, some buyers even camped out overnight. "If I had to…I would do it again," said Robert Thompson of Emeryville who got in line at 8:45pm on Thursday night and waited almost 12 hours for the store to open. Thompson shared food, conversation and contact information with the other overnighters waiting in line. When the doors opened at 8am, the crowd erupted into cheers.
The iPhone 4S was released in seven countries on Friday, and includes features like increased speed and an improved camera and software, according to the Associated Press. Although the newest iPhone has not garnered as much excitement as past models, the crowds outside of Bay Area Apple stores aren't showing any signs of waning loyalty.
The release came only nine days after the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs. On Friday, many remembered Jobs and his contribution with colorful Post-It note memorials and buttons reading "Stay hungry. Stay foolish." In New York, customer Tony Medina waited in line overnight despite torrential thunderstorms. According to the Associated Press, he'd planned to order the phone online, but decided to stand in line to honor the late Jobs.
"For loyalty, I felt I had to do the line," he said. "I had to say thank you."