You couldn't make it up. When we passed by the bigger-than-earlier iPhone queue in Regent Street last night, gloating iPhone importers were there giving the would-be buyers a taste of the new device.
The gatecrashers had obviously intended to take the mickey, as they sported shirts advertising a website on their backs. They offered a play on the device to the waiting people, as if to make it crystal clear that their time spent on Regent Street was pointless (which, of course, it is).
No need to queue
The queue has grown significantly since our intrepid first two queuers were spotted earlier yesterday. The first, Graham Gilbert from Manchester, had been present since 8.30 am. He said he's intending to buy an iPhone contract, saying it wouldn't work after the next iPhone update.
The second is a friend of his. Nik Fletcher, from Hampshire, has an iBook complete with logo coloured in to look like the old school Apple emblem. Bless - at least he'd come with a woolly hat. He's blogging his experiences on The Unofficial Apple Weblog. It seems the folks were bought dinner by The Cloud last night!
Sometime between 2pm and 7pm, they had been joined by three others (sorry, we were at an Nvidia briefing) also showing a sense of camaraderie with their identical camping chairs. Clearly somebody's making a mint. No! We mean as well as Apple.
UPDATE: We've just heard that Chris Moyles has the iPhone in his Radio 1 studio and is threatening to go down to Regent Street to taunt the buyers, too.
