Gadget-lovers joined huge queues this morning as they aimed to be among the first to get their hands on the new Apple iPhone 4.

Apple’s latest smartphone is slimmer and more powerful than its predecessor and features the new OS 4 operating system as standard, which makes multi-tasking third party apps possible for the first time.

The iPhone 4 offers video calling, a higher-resolution display and the ability to record and view high-definition video.

It also features an oil-resistant glass screen to stop grubby fingers smearing the display.

In Wolverhampton this morning, a line of people queued from the O2 shop to the entrance of the of the Wulfrun shopping centre, with the first bleary-eyed people arriving at 4.30am.

Robert Smith, 74, from Wolverhampton, had been queuing outside the store since 7am and had even brought a chair along to take the weight off his feet.

“We’re all mad” he said.

“I’m a dedicated Apple man, I have Apple everything and the iPhone is worth having. I had the original and the iPhone 4 will have all the features I need.”

Azeem Ahmad, 23, was also among the swarm of people waiting to buy the gadget. “I came here last year to get the last one and walked straight in” he says.

“This year I thought that if I came here five minutes before the shop opened, I’d get straight in, but I’ve been here for an hour.”

Craig Bowler, 28, from Dudley, was among the first people to leave with the iPhone 4 and was delighted with his purchase, even though he’d been in waiting since 5.45am.

“It’s a great phone, I’m looking forward to activating and having a play with it.

Costs

The iPhone 4 was first unveiled earlier this month and it is being offered direct from Apple without a new monthly contract at £599 for the top-of-the-range 32GB model and £499 for the 16GB version.

Although costs vary, it is also likely to incur a significant outlay if you buy it on contract from a network operator.

Influential mobile phone expert Ernest Doku, from review site Omio.com, reckons the handset will live up to the hype.

He said: “The design team at Apple has truly surpassed itself with the iPhone 4 – a super slim version of the 3GS with a whole lot more oomph under the bonnet.”