Posted at: 09/20/2012 9:55 PM
Updated at: 09/21/2012 7:59 AM
By: Naomi Pescovitz

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Minnesotans Wait in Line for iPhone 5, Experience

The highly anticipated iPhone 5 is already available in countries around the world. In the Twin Cities, stores will start selling the phone at 8 a.m. Friday.

Critics have called the latest upgrade "underwhelming," yet some have waited in line for days in places like New York City. In the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro, lines started to form Thursday afternoon.

"It's like a little social event, with people with the same interests," said Larry Santana while waiting outside the Apple Store Thursday in Uptown.

Lorman Lundsten, Professor of Marketing at St. Thomas University, explained why a person might wait in line for hours the latest Apple gadget.

"If you look at the weighable, the rational benefits, there are very few. And they are very slight. But if you look at the irrational, benefits, some people will go quite a ways to make a statement about their personality," Lundsten said.

Outside Rosedale Center in Roseville, a group of about 20 people set up a television, internet and power while waiting for the stores to open.

"This is what we do, look around... this is the family. This is it right here," said Joedi Ratliff.

Others are making money while they wait in line.

On Craig's List, Joe Ackert posted that he would be waiting in line for his own phone and offered to get another one for someone else. He received several offers.

"I'm actually going to sell the phone to someone who is paying me essentially to sit out here," Ackert said.

Ackert started waiting outside Rosedale Center Thursday afternoon.

"It makes it worth staying overnight, that's for sure," Ackert said.

Rosedale Center is opening its foodcourt area at midnight so people can wait inside until the stores open.