iPhone 5S lines have already started

With four days to go for Apple’s iPhone event, and two weeks to go for the likely launch of new iPhones, some folks have already started lining up outside Apple’s flagship Fifth Avenue retail store in New York City, according to a report fromMacRumors.

People used to start lining up outside Apple’s retail stores a week before the new iPhone went on sale. So it quite bizarre that people have started lining up so early this year. 

People usually try to take the first few spot in the line for promotion purposes. For example, when iPhone 5 was to go on sale last year, the first and second person in the line were promoting their social media app.

This year, it doesn’t seem to be any different. The first few folks to start lining up for the event are representatives from Cincinnati-basedSellYourMac, an online site that buys and sells used Apple products.

Two representatives from Cincinnati-based SellYourMac arrived on the scene today to begin what they hope will be a two-week campout, only to find that they were not the first people in line at the Fifth Avenue store, which generally serves as one of the most high-profile launch sites due to its iconic design and 24-hour operation. Two other campers claimed their spots at the front of the line last night, settling in for the long wait. 

According to Sell Your Mac’s Jon Murphy, the campers have yet to have any discussions with Apple’s store staff about their plans, but the line is forming in its usual spot on the plaza outside the store’s landmark glass cube. 

People who are get the first spot in the line have also managed to get sponsorships to promote brands or sold their spot, so that could be also be the motivation. We also expect Craiglist to be littered with offers ranging from $100 to $999 to stand in line for a fee or sell a spot.