With Apple's media event still four days away and the launch of new iPhone hardware likely two weeks away, campers are already starting to line up at the company's flagship Fifth Avenue retail store in Manhattan.

While early lineups are frequently done as promotional stunts rather than campers arriving simply as devoted fans, with some early campers at past launches even receiving sponsorships to promote brands while they wait, it seems that the bar is continually being raised with campers now arriving even before Apple has announced anything.

Two representatives from Cincinnati-based SellYourMac arrived on the scene today to begin what they hope will be a two-week campout, only to find that they were not the first people in line at the Fifth Avenue store, which generally serves as one of the most high-profile launch sites due to its iconic design and 24-hour operation. Two other campers claimed their spots at the front of the line last night, settling in for the long wait.

iphone_5s_fifth_avenue_launch_line
According to Sell Your Mac's Jon Murphy, the campers have yet to have any discussions with Apple's store staff about their plans, but the line is forming in its usual spot on the plaza outside the store's landmark glass cube.

Apple's media event is scheduled for next Tuesday, with rumors and speculation pointing to a launch of the iPhone 5S and 5C in the United States and other first-wave countries on Friday, September 20.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Agent OrangeZ Avatar
138 months ago
Guys... this isn't 2007/8 anymore... you can order your iPhones online and have them on your doorstep on launch day now.
Score: 74 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Prototypical Avatar
138 months ago
So THIS is what you do when you're an unemployed trust fund baby...
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
madsci954 Avatar
138 months ago
So these people are camping for a product that (technically) doesn't exist yet, have no idea what the (official) features are, and may or may not (probably may) launch 2 weeks from now? O_o
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jabingla2810 Avatar
138 months ago
Just... Why???
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decimortis Avatar
138 months ago
Suckers.
I'm hiding in a box in the back room of the store.

D.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
inlinevolvo Avatar
138 months ago
No problem guys. Well work for you to live off our earnings.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
General Apps Messages

Google Reveals When to Expect RCS Support on iPhone for Improved Texting With Android Users

Friday March 29, 2024 7:14 am PDT by
In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting "later" in 2024, and Google has now revealed a more narrow timeframe. In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the "fall...
airtag new orange

Criminals in Montreal Using AirTags to Steal Vehicles

Friday March 29, 2024 12:50 pm PDT by
Thieves in Montreal, Canada have been using Apple's AirTags to facilitate vehicle theft, according to a report from Vermont news sites WCAX and NBC5 (via 9to5Mac). Police officers in Burlington, Vermont have issued a warning about AirTags for drivers who recently visited Canada. Two Burlington residents found Apple AirTags in their vehicles after returning from trips to Montreal, and these...
top stories 30mar2024

Top Stories: WWDC 2024 Announced, New iPads Delayed, and More

Saturday March 30, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's WWDC 2024 dates have been announced, giving us timing for the unveiling of the company's next round of major operating system updates and likely some other announcements. This week also saw some disappointing news on the iPad front, with update timing for the iPad Pro and iPad Air pushed back from previous rumors. We did hear some new tidbits about what might be coming in iOS 18 and...
iphone 16 cases sonny dickson 1

First iPhone 16 Cases Outline New Rear Vertical Camera Bump

Friday March 29, 2024 4:09 am PDT by
Photos of the first iPhone 16 cases have been shared online, offering another preview of the rumored new vertical rear camera arrangement on the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Image credit: Accessory leaker Sonny Dickson Over the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models, all of which have featured a vertical ...
Apple iPhone 15 Pro spatial video capture lifestyle

$3 App Shoots Better Quality Spatial Video Than iPhone's Camera App

Friday March 29, 2024 4:48 am PDT by
A $3 third-party app can now record spatial video on iPhone 15 Pro models in a higher resolution than Apple's very own Camera app. Thanks to an update first spotted by UploadVR, Spatialify can now record spatial videos with HDR in 1080p at 60fps or in 4K at 30fps. In comparison, Apple's native Camera app is limited to recording spatial video in 1080p at 30fps. Shortly after Apple's Vision ...