Bemused security guards, bleary eyed consumers and a phalanx of over-caffeinated media gathered outside the Apple store on Friday for the launch of the iPhone 4.

More than 300 people had lined up for the Canadian release of Apple’s latest and wildly hyped smartphone, and thus began a heavily orchestrated ritual that takes place every time the company introduces a new product.

“It’s like three more minutes,” said an extremely tired looking young man who had been in line since noon Thursday, shortly before the doors opened at 7 a.m.

The sleep-deprived consumer was the first through when the enormous glass doors opened, swallowed by the tunnel of blue-shirted, high-fiving, cheering Apple employees.

For the most part, people waiting in the lengthy line had no concerns about the signal problems that have drawn so much negative publicity for the new iPhone in the past month.

“I’ve been in line too long to change my mind,” said one customer.

With the iPhone 4, Apple changed the design of its antenna, stored internally on previous models, by embedding it in the steel-frame chassis.

Some customers found that their reception drops if they hold the bottom-left corner of the device.

Unlike for the launch of the iPad, the glass front of the Apple store was not shrouded in dark curtains before Friday’s early opening.

But, as before, staff ran cheering up and down the line, offering high fives and eventually water, coffee and donuts.

At Apple stores the 16GB iPhone 4 will cost $659, with the 32GB model costing $779. The stores also sell an iPhone 3GS 8GB model without a contract for $549.

The phones are unlocked, which means customers willing to forgo the subsidies offered to people willing to sign up for long-term contracts can choose their wireless carrier.

Rogers is selling the 16GB iPhone 4 for $159 and the 32GB iPhone 4 for $269, provided customers sign up for a three-year voice and data plan.

Bell Canada and Telus both offer the same pricing as Rogers for both models, with a three-year contract.

Zakariya Ali, 20, from Toronto, who bought two 32GB iPhones, said he is thinking of going with Fido but hasn’t decided.

“I don’t like the three-year contracts,” he said. He estimated he and his group of friends spent more than $6,000 on the new phones.

Not everyone wanted to spend the night camped outside a consumer electronics store. Student Marshall James, 31, showed up at about 7 a.m., took one look at the line and headed to the Rogers store where he upgraded his phone and signed up for a three-year-contract. The store was also selling the phone for full price with no contracts, he said.

“I decided I wanted to sleep,” said James, who is a tech enthusiast and about to launch a blog about video editing.

“These people have patience. Hopefully they will all get the phone they wanted,” he said about the people in line.

Rogers is offering a slew of upgrading incentives for current customers to try and get them to remain with the wireless carrier, the full details are available on its blog.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Customers of the wireless carrier can upgrade their hardware at any time, as long as they pay full freight. The new offer is available to customers who purchased an iPhone with Rogers before June 7, 2010.

Anyone who bought the first round of the smartphone released in 2008 or who purchased in 2008 and upgraded in 2009 can get a $480 credit toward the iPhone 4 if they sign into a three-year contract. People who purchased or upgraded in 2009 and 2010 are also eligible for a credit toward an iPhone4.

Apple has released a new iPhone each year since 2007.

Read more about: