Empty Chair 'lynching' Protests Spark Controversy

BY LOGAN TITTLE Drum roll please! The iPhone 5 makes its long-awaited debut in stores Friday morning and, as usual, people are lining up. (video source: CNET) “Hundreds of people have been queuing outside Apple stores ahead of the release of the iPhone 5. This was the scene on Fifth Avenue in New York earlier and the queues are just as long in London” The BBC reports expected sales of up to 10 million devices just over the weekend—double what the iPhone 4S sold. But there is one factor that may affect the debut. “Apple's own pre-installed map software is threatening to overshadow it, inaccuracies and misplaced towns and cities have provoked anger from users.” But it’s not like Apple will take a huge hit from a few disgruntled spectators. CNN says the iPhone has sold “more than 244 million units around the world” since its coming out six years ago. Going deeper, research firm IDC ran the numbers and calculated that “the iPhone and its iOS operating system make up 16.9% of the worldwide smartphone market." And Businessweek reports more than 200 people are expected to just hold someone else’s place in line in New York and San Francisco. All thanks to a friendly new system that can be arranged on the website TaskRabbit Inc. where users can find people in their area to do odd jobs like assemble Ikea furniture or—wait in long lines. So, keep that in mind for the next iPhone and maybe you can sleep in a little.