[ad_1]
SHANGHAI: Two of Apple’s latest iPhone 12 models went on sale in China on Friday (October 23), after early pre-order data showed strong consumer interest in the 5G-enabled device in the the company’s second largest market.
The short lines outside Apple stores in the Shanghai Mall were in contrast to the crowds that flocked to previous launch events, as most orders have now been placed online.
“It feels great to be the first customer to get the new iPhone,” said Yan Bingqing, 30, who arrived before the store opened and was in a line of about 20 people. “I’ve been waiting a long time.”
READ: Comment: Apple’s iPhone 12 comes without a charger. Ecological movement or cash grab?
A new shade of green for the iPhone 12 was also a trending topic on the Chinese Weibo app on Friday, prompting positive reactions.
Apple’s announcement last week initially drew mixed reviews in China, but analysts expect an increase in orders this year as loyal iPhone owners finally buy new phones that are compatible with an improved 5G network infrastructure.
Chinese e-commerce retailer JD.com saw pre-orders for all four iPhone 12 models hit 1.6 million on the first day of the announcement.
“From the bottom of my heart, it is a little late for Apple to launch the iPhone 5G,” said Zhu Lin, another Apple fan who had queued up. “I expected it last year.”
Apple and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd are the only major phone makers to see shipment growth in China this year, with Apple growing 35 percent annually in the second quarter, says research firm Canalys.
The Apple store launch follows that of Huawei’s flagship Mate 40 device on Thursday, which some in China had said they would wait before deciding on the iPhone 12.
