iPhone 4 Takes Over Chicago

1:40 PM -- New Yorkers weren't the only ones with iPhone 4 fever. Hundreds of Chicagoans braved the elements to get their hands on Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL)'s latest iconic device. (See Big Lines Form for the iPhone 4.)

Despite last night's severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings in Chicago, people began lining up at the Michigan Avenue storefront yesterday afternoon. One guy was even in place as early as Tuesday, only to sell his spot to the highest bidder ($1,000) early this morning. The lines wrapped around the large store, long enough to cover six Chicago blocks and anger the local commuters. Apple employees greeted each new customer, let in the store every few minutes, with waning cheers and applause. An employee said he expects every person in line that pre-ordered the device to receive it before the store closes at 9 p.m. tonight. As for the adjacent line of those who didn't plan ahead, he said he's "hopeful."Here are some images from the morning wait, well underway by the time I arrived at 8 a.m. Click below to start the slideshow:



Meanwhile, back at AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T), only seven confused -- and soon to be angry -- people awaited the device. At 10 'til 8 a.m., an AT&T employee emerged to tell the people, many of whom had been there for a few hours, that AT&T only had 15 pre-ordered iPhones on hand. The rest would have to wait to get theirs until "sometime soon" or head down the street to Apple, where the line showed no signs of slowing by 8:30 a.m.

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile