UK launch of iPhone 3G, City of London, O2 Store Cheapside/Bow Lane

Hi folks,

I took a few pictures over the course of this morning, and during unboxing, which can be viewed here:http://gallery.mac.com/geofas#100079…lack&view=grid

I had a great time with the guys at the head of the queue. When I started the queue at 5.13am I was only on my own for 22 minutes. #3 arrived @ 5.39am, #4&5 @ 5.51am, #6 @ 6.06am, #7 @ 6.08am, #8 @ 6.15am, #9 @ 6.17am and #10 at 6.20am. All guys so far, #11 was a female. Then the line started to grow slowly up until 7am (mostly males) when it grew exponentially up until opening time and kept growing. Once I was done and left the store, the line had grown all alongside the building and around the corner, I’m guessing about 50 people.

O2′s online systems for registration collapsed and they had to switch to paper form registrations. Those don’t necessarily take longer but you won’t get your SIM card activated right away. Their estimates were, ‘probably not today’. I’m using mine with my O2 work SIM atm.

Update: I read a lot about the activation issues. I hate to rub your nose in it, but I didn’t have any. Used another O2 SIM with my iPhone 3G, plugged it in, fired up iTunes, registered it using my Apple ID and it got activated right away. Now mind you, this was in the UK at 9am local time, quite early in the time-less world-wide event of the 11 July iPhone 3G launch.

Otherwise it was a great experience! Well organized and they even popped out at 7.50am to offer us tea and it looks like they keep offering hot drinks and water to people.

Enjoy your iPhone 3G!  (Update: … as soon as you get them and can activate them. )