iPhone waiting not so hip (yet) on Fifth Ave.

Blurry Webcam photo shows a network news truck, but no other hullabaloo, outside the Apple store on New York's Fifth Avenue.

(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET News)

NEW YORK--It's a lovely day here at the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue and East 58th Street, at least so far. Temperatures are slated to hit 90 degrees within hours, and the short line for the iPhone 3G hasn't gotten any longer. It comes out on Friday at 8 a.m., in just slightly less than three days.

I was explaining to a friend over breakfast this morning that I think there's a critical-mass issue at hand; you need about 15 people in line to really get the ball rolling. Then would-be queuers will stop wavering and stake out a place to ensure that they get a phone on day 1.

Currently, there are only about five, and they're a group of activists who are all together. Put in five more, and the snowball effect might start.

But last year's remarkably smooth, shortage-free launch of the original iPhone undoubtedly has an impact too. This year, people are much more chill.

But who did show up, as evidenced by this picture taken with (naturally) my MacBook's Webcam, is a broadcast operation from WPIX, the local affiliate of the TV network The CW.

There was no camera crew in sight, so it could be that the station just wants to have a choice spot carved out for Friday's festivities. Or they could've been hunting for a story, only to find out that for the most part (the Waiting for Apples group notwithstanding), it's still business as usual at the Apple store.

Disclosure: The CW is joint-owned by CBS. CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, CBS unit.

[jdtreoman]

Okay, so no one is in line now. I already took the day off on Friday to stand in line at the 5th Ave store. Do you think a 4 am arrival at the 5th Ave store will ensure I get an iPhone day 1?

[sanenazok]

Arrival at 6pm will get you one.