This is the part I have a hard time understanding. Say I had a $50 deposit down, and turned up at 7am for priority queuing at the Sydney Optus store. It's already been open for 7 hours and has sold out of what I want. I'd be upset....unless they gave priority queuing at 10pm the night before...?!?

I for got to mention, the Apple employees also said to keep checking the website this coming week.

I just assumed that the 'priority queueing' meant that by paying the $50/100 deposit, you got the right to get in a couple of hours early, but after that, it's every man/woman for themselves.

And as for the apple employees: I doubt they'd say anything emphatically - their job seems to keep you guessing/build up the suspense! So I don't think them not saying 'No' means something. But I'm only basing that on apple's complete and utter love of surrounding everything with mystery!

I got this too, I rang the apple store and the guy (after taking a deep breath) gave me a speech that sounded like he had said it a million times before.
Basically said that optus voda and telstra are getting them, at this stage they aren't getting them but anything's possible and to keep checking the apple website for news. (roughly translated)

So I'm assuming that if they were selling them they would be listed on the site under "where to buy". so unless they pop up on the site the day before i wouldn't be sleeping in front of the store on thursday night...

Sorry - to clarify: meaning that, if the store opens eg. 7, all the priority queuers can go in then, but everyone else has to wait to 9. Same if it's 12, everyone else gets in at 2 (2 am in the morning! Far to early/late to go shopping if you ask me... )

Would be great if we could order online and have them delivered to us by July 11!!!

OK. Where's the Optus owned flagship store in Brisbane. I'm going to ring them in the morning and see when they are opening. Unless someone here knows of a midnight too?

With the Telco shops in the Shopping Centres, it is going to be very hard to line up. I think the best ones to line up at would be the free standing stores on the street.

What do you guys think?

If you're a fast runner, won't it allow you to get in first if it's in a shopping centre?

The optus deposit allows you to line up 2 hours early, which means 7am or the midnight launch (if there is one). The shops in the shopping center would be open as usual time. So i guess it is the game of who has the faster leg to reach the shop front in those shopping center?

So can people who didn't make a deposit show up at 2am?

and what's stopping non-payers from claiming a spot? You could just make up a number! Monitoring the line will be really hard.

I would think there would be a fair few waiting outside the TLife stores, seeing they are a flagship stores for Telstra.

Yeah, and you have to look out for all those Leather Jackets that might get in the way.

[Sorry, shameless Apple Store Sydney queue in-joke. ]

In all seriousness, most people who queue up for these things (especially when it involves departing with a large amount of money) are pretty honest, reasonable people. I doubt you'd have a huge problem, and if so, others in the queue would hopefully stick up for you.

I think that was proven in the Apple store line...and all we got was a t-shirt. This is a whole different kettle of fish though. Non-Apple nerds will be there too. And yobbos. It's them I worry about.
All this talk about 'Apple people' and having a better chance of getting a phone in less wealthy areas, or places where the concentration of Apple fans is lower (these ideas were thrown about at the start of the thread), just doesn't convince me. There are people who know nothing about Apple, but know about the iPhone, and know that they want one.
I may be wrong, and it can be said I have little faith in human nature, but the solidarity and community amongst Apple fans isn't present in the wider community.