Temecula Apple Store to Reopen Friday for Launch of iPhone 5

This article was updated at 7:25 p.m. to include quotes from those waiting in line to get the coveted new device.

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Jennifer and Jeremy Young were first in line at 4 p.m. Thursday, to await both the reopening of the Apple Store in Temecula and the sale of the highly touted iPhone 5.

Jeremy Young was due to leave at 4:30 a.m. for work in San Bernardino but his wife was set to pick up two phones, the limit allowed per person, according to employees.

"Everything is upgraded," Jeremy Young said of the new phone he expects to have in his hand Friday.

"It really is a big jump."

The screen will be larger, said Young, with better resolution.

But the couple was not just the first in line to be able to say they have the product; the last time they failed to wait in line, it took months to get their new phones.

That was for the iPhone 4, the last time the Youngs had an upgrade and sitting in their camping chairs, iPad, iPhone and battery at hand, the Youngs were excited.

"She's going to go get the burgers," Young said of his wife.

The storefront at the Promenade Temecula mall has been closed for repair for two weeks after a Sept. 6 burlgary in which the suspects drove through the front windows and security screen.

One of the suspects is in custody and is due for a hearing next week.

In ramping up for what is hoped to be a busy day Friday, an email was sent to store employees.

While Apple media relations could not immediately be reached to confirm the email that was forwarded to Patch, an unnamed employee was excited for the reopening.

"Team, After a truly amazing effort on the part of our in-store and corporate support teams, we are proud to announce that we will officially be open for the launch of the iPhone 5 at 8:00a on Friday 9/21/12," the email stated.

"This means that our community will have excellent visibility of the fact that we will be open and ready to greet the masses of our Temecula customers who have been curious and even anxious about the status of the store."

According to a news release put out by Apple, iPhone 5 pre-orders have "shattered" the previous record held by iPhone 4S.

"...The customer response to iPhone 5 has been phenomenal," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "iPhone 5 is the best iPhone yet, the most beautiful product we’ve ever made, and we hope customers love it as much as we do."

The device is thinner, lighter, has more battery life and comes with 200 new features, according to Apple.

The iPhone 5 will be available at 249 Apple retail stores in the U.S., including Temecula, beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, according to the news release.

Some pre-orders were available beginning Sept. 17, while others may be delivered into October, the company stated.