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Fans line up for new iPhone near mall [The Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wis.](Post-Crescent (Appleton, WI) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sept. 19--GRAND CHUTE -- Thousands of fans lined up at Apple stores worldwide as the tech giant kicked off sales of its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus smartphones -- including near Appleton. Countless customers braved lines for hours -- and days -- in hopes of securing the new iPhones, which feature a significant boost in screen size. Some customers at Apple's New York store began waiting in line for the next iPhone before Apple's announcement last week. Terra and Phil Bridges, of Hortonville, were the first in line at Verizon, 750 N. Casaloma Dr. in Grand Chute for the new iPhones. That meant the pair spent the night outside under blankets as temperatures dipped into the 30s for what they called a date night complete with snacks, reclinable chairs and an iPad rerun of the movie "Rocky." "We like having the latest and greatest," Phil Bridges said. "We're getting a 6 Plus for each of us. It got pretty cold overnight, but this is better than waiting for a preorder." Apple's iPhone 6 includes a 4.5-inch touchscreen, while the iPhone 6 Plus boasts a 5.5-inch screen, both much larger than the 4-inch display on its predecessor, the iPhone 5s. Karl Sanger, of Waupaca, arrived around 11:30 p.m. expecting a larger crowd. He slept part of the night in his RV that he pulled into the Verizon lot waiting for the iPhone. "I use it for my business as a pharmacist and I'm looking forward to the larger screen size and the new camera," Sanger said. "Samsung has been using this large phablet model for a while but I love Appleton and like that it coordinates with my calendars." Apple opened up pre-orders for the new iPhones last Friday, notching a record 4 million in the first 24 hours. Some online orders for the iPhones through Apple's website and wireless carriers could take several weeks before they're fulfilled. According to the AT&T website, consumers who ordered an iPhone 6 Plus were forced to wait as long as November. Third in line at the Verizon store was Jacob Graf, of Greenville, who arrived at 2:45 a.m. and fired up a propane heater to stay warm. "I come out every time. I'm an Apple fanboy," Graf said. "It's all about meeting other people," he said. Before the 8 a.m. open of the store, Graf still hadn't decided on which version he would purchase. He said he wanted to hold them and decide. At AT&T, 4347 W. Wisconsin Ave., a small crowd waited just for a chance to try out the new devices. Store officials told the line they had no new iPhones in stock. -- Nick Penzenstadler: 920-996-7226, or [email protected]; on Twitter @npenzenstadler. USA TODAY staff contributed to this report. ___ (c)2014 The Post-Crescent (Appleton, Wis.) Visit The Post-Crescent (Appleton, Wis.) at www.postcrescent.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |