Fierce gets the iPhone

Fierce gets the Apple iPhone

Last week, FierceWireless and DailyTechRag were on the scene to catch a first glimpse of the iPhone in action. We visited AT&T and Apple stores in the Washington, DC area to give you an idea of the excitement that this phone has generated. Below you will find our play-by-play--from the moments the lines were forming until the second we got our hands on our own iPhone.

Latest Coverage:

- For hands-on impressions of the iPhone, visit DailyTechRag [1].

- Article: 525 iPhones sold. [2]

- Video: iPhone Teardown [3]

- Article: AT&T boosts EDGE for iPhone [4]

 

The Apple iPhone Release

2:10 PM -- Outside of an AT&T Store on 12th and F Street, NW Washington DC

Six people are sitting outside in roped off area. The first person to get in line doesn't appear to have been there for long. He is sitting on an over turned mail crate watching an episode of Prison Break on his Macbook.

Inside, an AT&T official was talking on his bluetooth looking worried. He disappeared when we turned on our video camera.

2:37 PM -- AT&T store at New York Ave. and 14th St., NW Washington DC

Eight people and one dog are waiting outisde the store under a construction canopy and once again, the first person in line is using an Apple product--in this case it's an iPod. When we entered the AT&T store we saw a demo kiosk set up, and it appeared that there were docks and slots for at least four test units. We pulled out a camera and attempted to take a photo of the display, but we were immediately rushed by four security guards. One guard stepped in front of the display to block our view, and the manager came out and told us we weren't allowed to take any photos. The hunt for the iPhone in the wild continues...

2:51 PM -- AT&T store at 17th and Pennsylvania Ave.

At this spot there are eight people and one baby in line. These lucky iPhone seekers are next to a Starbucks and many of them are seated at the tables available directly next to the line. This time the first person in line (wearing a Burberry tie) isn't using an Apple product, but instead reading a book (Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton). One of the security guards came out and paced the perimeter--perhaps waiting for the shipment of iPhones to arrive?

3:15 PM -- L St. and Connecticut Ave.

This is the first store we’ve been to that did not have a line out front. However, as we were waiting outside reporting on the story a line formed behind us--the first two passers-by looked at us, laughed and got in line. Though the line is just now forming, some people were waiting in the store for two hours. These people have now been moved outside. At 6:00 AT&T employees are going to bring out the yellow barricade at this location, while the other three stores we’ve been to have already done that. When we asked if the iPhones were here or if they would be delivered before 6:00, a store official said, “All I can tell you is they’ll be here at six.”

 

3:22 PM – Vermont Ave. and K St.

There are six people in line outside of this location, and it’s by far the best-prepared group we’ve seen, as all but one are sporting umbrellas. They all have fancy camping chairs except for one man, who’s sitting on a step ladder. When asked why he chose a step ladder he responded that he “didn’t want to bring a nice chair down from the office.” The first person in line says he’s been waiting since noon.

 

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