海角大神

iPhone 5S attracts mobs of veteran line-waiters and first-timers

The new iPhone 5S and 5C officially went on sale Friday at Apple retailers around the country. Line members say the fingerprint sensor, faster processor, and keeping up with the Joneses brought them out to the Apple store for the seventh generation of iPhones.

iPhone day 2013 has arrived. Today, customers can buy the iPhone 5S and 5C at Apple retailers and online, and the iPhone 5C online pre-orders will ship.

Apple鈥檚 first two-device iPhone rollout has created buzz around the world, offering a cheaper alternative (the 5C) and a top-of-the-line phone (the 5S). Though the 5C was available for pre-order, the 5S has to be bought in-store or online, prompting characteristically long lines at Apple stores around the country.

Take, for example, the many lined up outside of the Apple Store in Boston. Their take on the new iPhones? Classy colors, speedy processing, and staying on top of the most recent technology motivated their hours, even days, of waiting.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want anyone having a faster device than I [have],鈥� laughs Shane Getchell, from Boston, who was there to purchase the 5S. He arrived at 5:30 a.m., where there were already 鈥渉undreds鈥� in line ahead of him, though he says the line was moving quicker than previous years.

鈥淚 like the fingerprint swipes, I鈥檓 sure it is a lot faster, and Apple always comes out with great products,鈥� he adds. 鈥淭hey wait too long to come out with a new product. I wish they would do it every two months.鈥�

Another line member, Josh Pitts of Boston, also says his main motivation was to stay ahead of the latest tech and to 鈥渂eat the Joneses鈥�. But the features like the new camera and fingerprint sensor have him intrigued.

Sometimes, however, staying on the cutting edge can cost money beyond the iPhone.

鈥淪omebody sold [a] pregnant lady his spot in line for an undisclosed amount of money,鈥� Mr. Pitts says. 鈥淸If I were him] I probably would have just given her the spot, but y鈥檏now, we all have to make a dollar.鈥�

And that jump in line could mean the difference between getting one phone or another. Many people hoped to get the gold-colored 5S, but according to several people in line, the gold option was accounted for before 6 a.m. Apple employees in Boston declined to comment on phone distribution and demand, though Apple's website says聽the gold color now won鈥檛 be available for shipping until October.

Though most in line were buzzing about the iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5C had caught one persons鈥� eye. Gino Giannone is Italian, but lives in New York and was visiting his girlfriend in Boston. He stopped by the Apple store to get his iPhone fixed. He said he didn鈥檛 get the hype and would never wait in line for a phone (though he would wait in line to see the band LMFAO). He doesn鈥檛 feel like the iPhone 5S offered much change, but the colors on the 5C are appealing.

鈥淏efore there was just black and white, but now there are a lot of colors to choose from,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 seen that done before.鈥�

For others, the 5C was nothing impressive.

鈥淭he 5C is nice, but I think it鈥檚 for kids,鈥� says Anne Morelli of Boston, who was hoping to purchase the gold iPhone 5S. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a lower level that鈥檚 nice for people who want to spend that amount and have that kind of lower tier of Apple accessibility.鈥�

Eduardo Ozorno, a musician living in Boston, agrees.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 more like a toy, whereas the iPhone 5S is a better product in general,鈥� he says.

The fast 64-bit processor on the 5S impressed Mr. Ozorno, who says he is excited to see what apps would run on the new phone that could help his music. He had never waited in line for an iPhone before, electing to pre-order the iPhone 5, and was happy to get the 鈥淎pple waiting line鈥� experience. If the iPhone 5S had been available for pre-order, however, he says he 鈥渄efinitely鈥� would have ordered it online.

Other line members thrive on the ritual of waiting outside for the newest product. Ms. Morelli was toward the back of the line when the Apple store officially opened for the day at 10 a.m., but she came prepared. She packed breakfast and a bottle of water, tricks learned while camping out for every iPhone that has come out so far. She likes that Apple chose not to do a pre-order, as it creates a sense of community the day the devices go on sale.

鈥淭his makes it more of an event 鈥� it鈥檚 fun, it鈥檚 exciting,鈥� says Morelli. 鈥淚 love the phone, but it鈥檚 more about the hoopla.鈥�