Well this must’ve been incredibly awkward. Usually when Apple releases a new iPhone the lines start for days and run around blocks of streets and floors of malls. Apparently that was not the case yesterday for the Verizon iPhone, one of the most anticipated phones seemingly ever.

The video you see above is one of the scenes from Apple and Verizon stores yesterday all across the US– lots of anticipation for crazy long lines, few to zero people actually showing up. The above YouTube video (via ojezap) was taken yesterday from outside the Apple Store at the Mall of America in Minnesota, and here’s a shot CNET got of the Apple Store in NYC– both right around the time when doors were supposed to open at 7 AM.

Oh, and here’s the scene at the same NYC Apple Store in the middle of the day (read: hours after the doors opened) last year when the original iPhone 4 launched (Pic via CNET).

Yes, that long group of people almost at the street is the line!

Of course this could just be because of the freezing and otherwise really bad weather seemingly all across the country (compared to last summer’s launch weather when  it was a little hot but otherwise clear and sunny) and people have decided to wise-up and have the phone shipped right to them instead (which with pre-orders for the device selling out we’re sure a ton of people did). Regardless, yesterday must’ve been some kind of let down for all those people who woke up early to try to beat these “lines.” (On the bright side though, we’re sure they had no trouble finding a salesperson to help them!)