Overnight in China, long lines formed for the launch of Apple’s iPhone 4S at Apple’s five stores, two on Beijing and three in Shanghai, according to Tech in Asia.
Apple’s partner China Unicom, ranked as the world’s third-biggest mobile provider, announced that the iPhone 4S would go on sale at 12:01 AM Friday morning. (As of this writing, it is about 3 AM Friday morning in Beijing.)
Asia Tech’s Steven Millward reported that most of the stores have a ticketing system to deter customers from jumping positions in line.
If customers pay the equivalent of US$45/month, they can get a 16 GB iPhone 4S free if they sign up for a long-term contract, thus explaining the very long lines.
China Unicom is the only Chinese company currently offering the Apple iPhone — which uses WCDMA. The iPhone popularity has helped China Unicom, with well over 100 million customers, steal business away from the 3rd place, China Telecom.
Apple is also in negotiations with China Telecom and China Mobile, China’s largest wireless company, and the largest in the world. As TMO recently reported, China Mobile “has demanded a piece of App Store sales in exchange for selling the iPhone. Apple has refused to agree to such terms, putting the talks in a stalemate.” Meanwhile, China Unicom rolls on with the iPhone.
4 Comments
There’s probably also a Samsung camera crew shooting for an ad; so that they can insult Chinese iOS cult users. Too bad there are no lines for Samsung products so that Apple can return the hubris.
Are these the real Apple stores??
do better research when writing this stuff. China Mobile is #1 in China followed by China Unicom then China Telecom. China Telecom (100MM subs) is cementing a deal with Apple as we speak and China Mobile (600MM subs) is playing hardball with Apple. Terrible research on your part.
Reader dan is correct. The article was amended. Thanks.
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