This Guy Is Living In A Tent Outside Of A London Apple Store Until He Gets An iPhone 5

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Every time there’s an anticipated release — a movie, a book, a new gadget — there’s always someone clamoring to be first in line to get it. Some of these people are just honest fans literally counting down the seconds until release. Some are just addicted to seeing their names in the paper. And some are just there to cash in on the notoriety of being first.

That all being true, we’re not surprised that even though the iPhone 5 hasn’t even been announced yet, there’s already someone camped out in line for one. What is surprising is he’s so open about why he’s doing it: for the publicity.

29-year-old Rob Shoesmith is the first in line at a London Apple Store in the UK. His day job is handling public relations for iOS app dev, MEDL Mobile. But don’t think he’s taking time off the job to camp out for the iPhone 5… this is part of his job.

According to Shoesmith, the iPhone 5 wait is part of an experiment in marketing and PR, and it seems to be garnering some very interesting results: in exchange for some advertising on his blog, he’s already earned free food, gadgets and other useful gear, including $1100 worth of gear.

So Shoesmith seems pretty well stocked… but even so, some rumors peg the iPhone 5’s release as far off as October. Three months is an awful long time to live in a tent on a sidewalk, even if it is for marketing science! Then again, it might just beat his last job: before he was hired by MEDL Mobile, he seems to have been making a living as a trash collector.

[via iDownloadBlog]

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