The antenna problems that have plagued Apple's new iPhone 4 abroad did not bother Hong Kong's first owners of the device, which was launched in the city early yesterday.
They either experienced no similar problems - in which the phone loses its signal if the user's hand covers a black strip in the lower left corner that functions as part of its antenna - or did not seem to mind.
'Well, I'm carrying the phone with my right hand, so it should be fine,' said Clement Oh Wu, who was queuing to buy his iPhone 4 from a 1010 shop at 8am before work.
James Haig, a FedEx pilot, said: 'It's not a big deal. If I can't hold it at the bottom, I'll hold it at the top.' He picked up his phone at 9:30am before leaving to fly a plane at 10:30am.
Apple has offered customers abroad free cases that rectify the problem by shielding the sensitive black strip. William Chan, supervisor of the SmarTone-Vodafone store in Percival Street in Causeway Bay, confirmed that this offer would extend to Hong Kong customers, but they would have to get their cases from Apple.
The eagerly awaited smartphone was officially launched in the city at several midnight events.
From SmarTone-Vodafone's party in Central's IFC Mall, the queue snaked all the way to the Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan.