Apple opened its gleaming new $27 million glass-enclosed store along the Chicago River two weeks ago, but Friday was the store’s coming out party, as hundreds lined up — some camping out overnight — to be among the first to own the new iPhone X.
It was a familiar scene but a new locale along North Michigan Avenue, as eager customers hunkered down, enduring sleep deprivation, hunger pangs and chilly fall breezes to snare the latest incarnation of the iPhone.
The launch of the iPhone X was much anticipated, with a number of innovations such as a facial recognition system, edge-to-edge display and an intuitive navigation that does away with the home button. The list price is $999.
It’s Apple’s third iPhone release in just over a year. The iPhone 7 rolled out in September 2016, and less than two months ago, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus models went on sale.
The first customer arrived at Apple’s new Chicago flagship at about 11 a.m. Thursday, with 25 people on hand as evening fell. By the time the store opened up at 8 a.m. Friday, about 240 people were in the line, which was moved up from the riverfront to the plaza to accommodate the crowd.
Kapish Sharma, 18, was one of four students from Valparaiso University who brought chairs and camped out all night, emerging triumphantly at about 9:30 a.m., each carrying a bag with a new iPhone X — but without their chairs, which mysteriously disappeared overnight.
“It feels like our wait was worth it,” said Sharma, who said he arrived at 5 p.m. Thursday as the sixth person in line. “I wanted to experience it. We all came all the way from Indiana.”
Brian Sherwell’s journey and wait were not nearly as long. The Wicker Park resident arrived at 5 a.m., ready to upgrade from his iPhone 6. He decided to get in the day-one line after learning it would take weeks to get the iPhone X online.
Sherwell, 39, who works for advertising agency Digitas, started down by the river until the growing line was moved up to the plaza, skipping any food runs or bathroom breaks throughout for fear of losing his place.
“I haven’t been yet,” Sherwell said, still waiting to enter the store after more than four hours.
David Cullen, 52, a freelance physicist from Oak Park, arrived at 5:30 a.m. He tried to preorder as well but decided the two- to three-week delivery wait would be too long. The reason? His 4-year-old iPhone 5S was on life support, hooked up to a portable charger as he stood in line for a new phone.
“My phone is dying,” he said. “The battery is dying.”
Cullen said it was a little uncomfortable standing outside in the cold, but he likewise never left the line, in order to keep his spot.
“I’m not taking any chances,” he said.
Rohan Trivedi, 19, of Chicago, finished his overnight shift at a Dunkin’ Donuts and brought his parents to the Apple store at about 8:30 a.m. to try to land the new iPhone.
Two months ago, Trivedi did the same thing to get the iPhone 8 Plus on the first day it was available, although he said the line was much smaller. The iPhone 7 line last year was comparable, Trivedi said.
“It’s exciting to get your iPhone on the first day,” he said.
The weary Valparaiso group included arguably the first arrival, Amaan Rahman, 18, who said he made it to Pioneer Court at 11 a.m. Thursday, but took off to get some food and returned to find himself third in line.
After staying awake all night, sleep was high on everyone’s to-do list at they set off for the return trip to Indiana. At the top of the list, however, was setting up their new phones.
“Go home, set it up and then figure out what to do with it,” Sharma said.
Twitter @RobertChannick
