With iPhone 3G lines weak, is the Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field fading?

As Apple started to ring up sales of its new iPhone 3G, the scene at the flagship Apple Store in San Francisco was much quieter than last year. By 8 p.m. last night only 12 people were in line, and by 4 a.m. only 40. By 7:45 a.m. this morning, the line had grown past 325, nearly to the length it was at last year's launch, with Apple Store employees dispensing coffee and water to the waiting crowd. One man, who had taken the 20th spot in line, was trying to sell it (unsuccessfully) for $100. How did Robert Scoble get into the first 20 allowed into the store? He had his friend wait 36 hours in line, sleeping in a tent. (At San Francisco's minimum wage, you and your friends owe the guy $351, Scoble.) How was the turnout in Palo Alto? Lame. New York? Lame. Vancouver? Lame. Meanwhile, the news about the coincidental Apple TV update went by nearly unnoticed, and Apple bungled the release of MobileMe. So while there was a crowd, even here in the heart of Apple country, the pictures after the jump show the religious fervor is considerably less intense than before.

End of the line barely past H&M just before the doors opened and they might have to wait longer for an activation than it takes to get in the store.

Ironic justice is a rich, white man sleeping in a tent in Downtown San Francisco.

Robert Scoble: "Are you going to high-five on the way out of the store? That's how I got on the cover of the San Jose Mercury News."

Nothing to see here, please move along.

The creepy clapping thing begins amongst the Apple Store drones.

The first batch of lemmings enter the store, with no shouts of "Woo, GPS! And 3G! Or whatever! I'm a rock star!" More photos of the line from the Flickr-spotters at SFist.