This SEVENTEEN fan camped out 16 hours to get the orange iPhone 17 like her bias Mingyu

After a 16-hour wait in line, 25-year-old Charmaigne made headlines as the first customer to purchase the iPhone 17 at Digimap’s midnight launch event in One Ayala, Makati City. But for this consumer, the purchase was also a tribute to her K-pop idol.

A self-confessed fan of SEVENTEEN's Mingyu, she shared that the K-pop idol influenced her decision to get the same model, knowing that he uses the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Charmaigne's dedication to securing the first phone meant sacrificing sleep. She arrived at the venue as early as 8 a.m. on Oct. 15 and was determined not to lose her place.

“Honestly, nung pumila ko wala pa kong tulog. Sabi ko, pag nakatulog ako, malamang late na ko, so hindi na ako natulog, dito na agad ako pumunta. Around 10 a.m. may dumating na rin akong kasama, akala ko nga ako lang mag-isa sa pila,” she recalled.

When asked what it felt like to be the first buyer, Charmaigne was excited and was quick to point out the feature she was most eager to try: the camera.

"I'm super excited to finally try it, and syempre gustong gusto ko talaga sa phone is yung camera niya. Lalo na ngayon, digital tayo, mahilig tayo mag-take ng pictures, mag-take ng videos, so I think yung quality niya talaga would be worth it for the price," she said.

It was the improved camera quality that kept her motivated. As she put it simply: "Kasi kapag yung phone mo hindi maganda yung camera o yung focus, syempre gusto natin maganda yung pagkapicture natin."

@philstarlife From 8 a.m. to the midnight launch, Charmaigne, 25, held her spot as the first in line for the iPhone 17 at Digimap One Ayala, eager to test the camera firsthand. #iPhone17 #midnightlaunch #DigimapOneAyala ♬ original sound - philstarlife

After hours of anticipation, Charmaigne finally received her orange iPhone 17, along with a generous bundle of Digimap freebies. She walked away with up to P37,000 worth of premium accessories and lifestyle products from a wide array of brands, including Insta360, Anker, Ugreen, Skinarma, Garmin, JBL, Sony, and Foot Locker.

Considering the upgrade? For a complete overview of the new lineup, read: iPhone 17 series features new Air model, redesigned Pro.

If you're wondering if it's time to trade in your current device, check out: iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 17—Is it time for an upgrade?