Optus and 3 draw big crowds to iPhone 4 midnight launch

Hundreds brave the cold to queue.

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Optus and 3 have embarrassed Telstra in the race to attract Apple fans to the midnight launch of the iPhone 4 in Sydney.

Celebrity chefs at the Telstra store proved no match for the plans on offer from other telcos, with more than 500 lined up at Optus' Sydney store on the promise that they could break their existing iPhone 3GS contracts to start anew with Apple's latest smartphone.

The 300 or so lined up for the George Street 3 store were able to shelter from the cold in the Wynyard rail tunnel, whilst Optus customers were treated to free yellow Optus-branded scarves and beanies.

Spirits were generally high at the front of queues, despite the long wait, in anticipation of getting their hands on a device.

But further back in the pack - customers were visibly concerned that their efforts may be in vain.

Optus marketing staff were confident they could fulfil all orders, but said it would take one hour for every fifty orders - meaning those at the back of the queue would have to wait until 10am to get a device.

The 30-odd customers outside the apple store on George Street said they were prepared to sit out the night to buy the device outright.

Stay tuned to iTnews for more on the iPhone 4's official Australian debut.