UK iPad Mini FRENZY: Queues stretch SEVERAL FEET from till

Reader tells of minutes-long ordeal amid sparse mob

Astonishing queues at times reached as far as several feet from the tills in Glasgow's Apple store, as the Wi-Fi version of the iPad mini launched in the UK.

Reader Joseph Heenan reported walking in to the Apple Store, buying the device and walking out "within a couple of minutes".

Heenan added that "there were staff standing around with nothing to do". He told the El Reg:

I asked the [Apple store] guy if they were expecting to be busier, and he muttered something fairly non-commital like "we were busier earlier" or something - this was just after 9AM.

Scenes at the Glasgow Apple store at the launch of the iPad Mini, credit Joseph Heenan

Globally, reactions to the launch were muted with hype significantly down on the houha that surrounded the launch of the iPhone 5 in September.

The Wi-Fi versions of the iPad Mini and the iPad 4 launched today in the US, many European countries, Australia, Singapore and Canada. Cellular-enabled versions of the iPad Mini and the iPad 4 will go on sale a few weeks from now. ®