Chicago is My Home

29
Jun

Rabid Appleheads Sleep Overnight at Michigan Avenue Store For iPhone

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Photography, Technology

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CHICAGO – Some people don’t just want this gadget. They say they need it – almost like they need to breathe.

In anticipation of Friday’s release of the iPhone, we spotted the more rabid zealots camping out on Thursday in front of the Apple store on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. The first two people in line set up shop Thursday afternoon.

“We’ve been working in shifts since 2 p.m. on Thursday,” said Chicagoan Tyler Tessman. “At that time, there was [only one other person]: a lady sitting by the flowers about 10 feet away. She said she worked for Apple’s public relations department and did not speak with us further.”

“We wanted to be part of the excitement,” said Chicagoan Nicholas Haubrich, who came with Tessman. “This phone will change technology.”

On Sept. 26, 2002, MidwestBusiness.com (then ePrairie.com) published what is widely believed to be the first concept image of the Apple iPhone. At the time, it was a rendering from an artist not employed by the company. It was believed that Apple wouldn’t enter into the mobile phone market.

It wasn’t until Jan. 2007 that the iPhone was confirmed publicly. Fierce Wireless, a daily monitor for the wireless industry, published on Dec. 18, 2006 a timeline of the then-rumored iPhone.

Note: This article was originally published at MidwestBusiness.com and is being reprinted here with permission.