iPhone: T+4 hours II
Posted Jun 29, 12:13 AM in Apple by Scott Conley
Shortly before 4, I’d say, we were asked to move up, directly in front of the store itself, forming what I think of as ‘The Short Line.”
The iPhone campers pile up like cattle.
This was essentially a classic theme-park-style human corral, with the each row representing the next 50-60 folks in line, going three lines deep. We formed up here and some old problems started to rear their ugly heads again. After quite a bit of consternation, muttering, supplication and outright argument, some unhappy compromises were reached, wherein some folks were getting in and some weren’t. In all, it was a wide patch of discomfort in an otherwise great event. Fortunately, I recover quickly from such things.
Around 5p, we started to get a ton of activity around the store. They cordoned off entry to the plaza around the store (“VIPs Only” read one sign) and we caught glimpses of some Apple execs (PR director?) with their families, including one guy just flexing out his personal iPhone for a call, right in front of all of us!
The Apple facilities team made up for this slight indignation with a very kind commitment of a few staff to look after all of our voluminous gear while we were in the store (shout out to Yana in Sheepshead Bay, yo!)
In this hour, I also had the privilege to be sought out for a couple of new interviews, and received a request from the BBC for a follow-up interview on Sunday evening. The freakin BBC!
15 minutes to go. Is my makeup clean?
As 6:00 sharp drew near, the crowd erupted in cheers when a fistful of Apple staff began to file out of the store. I wasn’t sure if this was “it,” considering that earlier in the day, the staff had made some very un-Apple-like street work down the camp line, complete with answer-back cheers (“I say ‘I’! You say… ‘phone!’”) and chic-abandoning rah-rah.
Apple employees emerge in greeting
Fortunately, this was the Full Monty. The staff filed out with some energy, and formed an honor guard for entry into the store! I was hoping they’d roll out the red carpet for this event, but they did it one better (the nerd carpet?) Simultaneously, we were slowly released toward the immense wall of photographers and the stores’ entrance.
Journalists prepare for the unveiling.
This demands a minor detail that will unfortunately be skipped in most of the video that gets out. Geoff and I prepared sequential ‘battle cries’ to be made to the media as we entered. We selected a ‘focus point’ video guy (the one in the green polo, if you can see him, above) and as we turned the corner, delivered the wholly tired but still satisfying shouts in turn:
“IMPEACH CHENEY!” then me, with “FAIR AND BALANCED!!”
I didn’t see the Fox News reporter, but I’m sure she was scowling at us, somewhere!
This last bit of tomfoolery took us directly into the warm embrace of the Genius Bar Receiving Line, as I think of them.
High fives for the campers
It was high-fives and applause from these guys, except for 1. Mr. Packer received some hugs and an escort in, which could not have been pleasant for anyone in the black iCal tee. What followed is the stuff of dreams. I don’t know who at Apple elected to have another go at the ‘round of applause’ schtick they used at the store’s opening but they deserve a medal (or perhaps a raise!)
As we came down the same glass staircase I had plodded repeatedly over the past several days on overdue restroom breaks, the entire remainder of the Apple staff stood below, pouring the magnificent thunder of a standing ovation over us. (apologies for the focus)
Apple staff throw a standing ovation to the customers.
In a moment, I was transformed from an exhausted unwashed street hermit into Cinderella. Despite my own logic and it’s constant reminders of The Prince, I rode that wave of gratitude down the stairs…
... and was promptly ushered directly to a cash register!
Brilliant! My weak ‘interested in MacBook Pro’ quip was quickly dismissed by my casher, and within moments I was holding that little black bag with two 8Gb iPhones in it.
I regrouped with Geoff (he’d been gracefully herded to the other end of the store so deftly I missed it at first), and we cheered and snapped pics.
Geoff Arnold tastes the sweet elixir 'False Adulation'
Then, we gathered up our adopted Canadian journalist Ian and hiked up again, to brave the fully bared teeth of a hungry media.
The paparazzi demand immediate service.
Astonishing!! We were assaulted with requests from every direction: “Hold it up!” “Unbox it!” “Scott!” (they knew my name??) “Can you come with us?” “Nina wants a shot!”
We both fled with Ian back to the baggage claim, where we put ourselves to work with getting the iPhone set up!
Next up: iPhone setup
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