Tales from the iPhone 3G launch lines

[portfolio_slideshow id=28252]It seems that even though excitement is high for the 3G iPhone in the suburbs, for fans of the device, waiting in line is just a natural part of the whole experience.

In many instances, lines of folks awaiting the next big consumer electronics purchase have an air of panic about them. Customers often have a notion that the product they're waiting for could potentially be unavailable if they do not stake an early claim.

But today's iPhone 3G lines, at least along the US east coast, had a decidedly different demeanor.

One man casually reading the paper in his work uniform (for a popular US electronics retailer) expressed what almost sounded like disappointment that people weren't more excited.

"This is nothing like the first iPhone launch...nothing," he said.

Some who were in line at the AT&T store in Pikesville, Maryland said they considered going to a downtown Baltimore location, but opted instead for the smaller setting and found themselves to be the only people there at 3:00 am EST. A five-hour wait on a mild July morning would seem like a cakewalk to those who braved sub-zero temperatures when trying to secure a Wii for their kids' Christmas, and the relatively safe bucolic setting would make those who got mugged while waiting for a PS3 chuckle.

An informal "show of hands" survey of customers showed that in terms of line presence, the majority were first-time iPhone buyers who were already AT&T customers. Repeat iPhone buyers and carrier converts were in no small number either, though.

After the frenzy of the first iPhone, no one seems to think there is any reason to worry about device shortages, even at stores with smaller inventories.