Occupy Apple, or happy Steve Jobs Day

The Occupy Apple Stores movement is in full swing today as thousands around the country gathered outside the iconic emporia to protest the fact they have to stand in line to get their hands on a new Apple iPhone 4S.

Who was first in line? No, not Greg Packer. None other than the Other Steve, Wozniak, who tweeted that he was camped outside the Apple Store in Los Gatos, awaiting his turn. Jeez, the man helped invent the company. Couldn’t they just give him one?

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My question: Was Woz wearing a black mock turtleneck, jeans, and New Balance sneakers? If so, he may be one of many, since today also happens to be the unofficial, unendorsed Steve Jobs Day.

Since Sept. 23, high-powered marketing firm Studiocom has been trying to set aside Oct. 14 as a day to honor the legendary CEO. After Jobs’s death on Oct. 5 — coupled with the fact that neither his family nor Apple planned any public commemoration of his passing — today has become a de facto memorial, where Jobs fans are being encouraged to dress up like their icon, share their thoughts and memories, and donate to cancer research.

(If you wanted to drop $175 on a Jobs-style 1990 faux T-neck to call your own, though, you’re out of luck. The manufacturer, St. Croix Shop, is sold out until after Nov. 7.)

At this point, it’s unclear whether SJD is really taking off. As I write this, #SteveJobsDay is not a Twitter trending topic, unlike iOS 5, Siri, and #MacAndCheezNight. Apparently the Twitterati didn’t get the memo. Google Trends shows a murderer, a football team, a self-styled superhero, and the Occupy Wall Street protests well ahead of anything Apple (though Woz clocks at No. 13 as I write this). Photos of crowds outside Apple stores show some folks dressing like Steve, but not in massive numbers.

And though the crowds have faithfully gathered outside Apple’s chapels, the 4S is clearly preaching to the converted. According to Retrevo’s Gadgetology survey of 1,300 presumably rational adults, the vast majority of iPhone 4S buyers are already Apple acolytes. More than 40 percent of people who own an iPhone 3 or 4 handset said they planned to upgrade. Just 12 percent of Android phandroids said they were planning to make the switch.

My conclusion? Apple has had a long-established, deeply loyal following for some time now, starting with the Mac, then the Newton, then the iPod. The iPhone grew the cult significantly, as did the iPad. But with the passing of their spiritual leader, I think the Apple cult has peaked.

Some cults outlive their leaders and grow from their teachings, just as some recording artists grow more popular (and sell more songs) after they’re dead. I’m not betting on that happening here.

Will we be talking about Steve Jobs on Oct. 14, 2012? Possibly. We’ll be talking about him for decades. But I doubt that day will be more significant than any other.

Are you wearing a Steve Jobs uniform today or buying an iPhone 4S? Post your thoughts below or email me: cringe@infoworld.com.

This article, “Occupy Apple, or happy Steve Jobs Day,” was originally published at InfoWorld.com. Follow the crazy twists and turns of the tech industry with Robert X. Cringely’s Notes from the Field blog, and subscribe to Cringely’s Notes from the Underground newsletter.