It had poor reviews, and is considered practically identical to its predecessor, but punters are cuing up for the iPhone4S as if it were original.

AT&T has said that it flogged more than 200,000 iPhone 4S in the first 12 hours and it had seen "extraordinary demand" for the gadget. Cynics might say that the iPhone4S has been saved by the death of Apple founder and Messiah Steve Jobs and the feeling is consumers are showing solidarity for the dead CEO by buying the gear, even when it is unlikely that they will notice any difference.

As one analyst Peter Scott (no relation) pointed out that many fanboys are showing the same signs as someone who has had a near relative die.

“If your grandmother had just put out a book on cooking chutney before she died, you would be hard pressed to say that you are not interested in preserves when the book goes on sale,” he said.