The forgotten overnight queues for the iPhone 4S in 2011
The forgotten overnight queues for the iPhone 4S in 2011
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/forgotten-overnight-queues-iphone-4s-023000595.html
Publish Date: 2026-05-19 22:30:00
Source Domain: uk.news.yahoo.com
The crisp autumn air was abuzz with an anticipatory electricity for what would transform the mobile phone.
The in-person smartphone cultural phenomenon reached its zenith on October 15, 2011, when queues of shoppers outside the Apple Store inside Southampton’s Westquay shopping centre waited for the latest handset.
The reason why so many shoppers flocked in their droves was out of a great desperation to own the very latest piece of hi-tech wizardry, namely the iPhone 4S.
New Apple iPhone 4S launch at the Apple Store in WestQuay shopping centre. Friday 14th October 2011. Store employees applaud their queueing customers as the store opens. (Image: Echo)
The chaotic happy-go-lucky mood of the morning was captured by the Echo, who recorded the event with the paean: “We’re all so appy!”
Dozens of tired and relieved shoppers hurriedly exited the shop, gleefully shouting “I got one! I got one!”, revelling in the knowledge that they were now officially among the very first people in the UK to physically own Apple’s latest mobile phone.
The driving force for their long overnight queues was a revolutionary new feature which is today considered utterly mundane – a brand-new application that could actually speak back to the user.
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It was an early wild leap into voice-assistant technology and the alluring novelty of the product proved itself sufficient enough to induce dedicated technology nerds with a willingness to wait up overnight ahead of the phone’s official release.
Die-hard 17-year-old Vincent Lao, who was a student at Peter Symonds College, Winchester, was first in line.
The young man began queuing outside the Southampton store at 10.30pm two nights beforehand in order to claim his new toy.
New Apple iPhone 4S launch at the Apple Store in WestQuay shopping centre. Friday 14th October 2011. Store employees applaud their queueing customers as the store opens. (Image: Echo)
His overnight vigil paid off when he became the very first customer to exit the shop…
