Apple to commence iPhone 5s advance reservations in China on Sept. 17th
While most of the world will have to wait in line to purchase an iPhone 5s on launch day, consumers in Hong Kong and mainland China can take advantage of an advance reservations system beginning Sept. 17.
The reservations scheme was first used by Apple following the iPhone 4's Chinese launch in an effort to control crowds at the company's retail stores and curb the burgeoning gray market resale industry, in which scalpers take advantage of launch scarcity to resell devices for significant premiums. The system has been deployed for every major Apple product launch since, including the iPhone 4S, iPad Mini, and iPhone 5.
Although the system ? in which customers choose their device, provide identification information, and then complete the purchase in-store at a designated time ? is not new, its use for the iPhone 5s launch is noteworthy for another reason: with preorders for Apple's flagship smartphone a non-starter anywhere else in the world due to suspected constraints on initial inventory, China is the only place consumers can ensure they receive a device on launch day.
Those wishing to reserve an iPhone 5s in mainland China or Hong Kong can do so via Apple's online store beginning Sept. 17, with pick-ups commencing at 8 a.m. local time on Sept. 20.
Apple is expected to move up to 35 million more iPhones in 2014 due to new carrier partnerships in Asia, with a significant percentage of those additional sales generated in China thanks to Apple's anticipated partnership with China Mobile. The state-owned wireless carrier is the largest in the world, with more than 740 million subscribers.
The reservations scheme was first used by Apple following the iPhone 4's Chinese launch in an effort to control crowds at the company's retail stores and curb the burgeoning gray market resale industry, in which scalpers take advantage of launch scarcity to resell devices for significant premiums. The system has been deployed for every major Apple product launch since, including the iPhone 4S, iPad Mini, and iPhone 5.
Although the system ? in which customers choose their device, provide identification information, and then complete the purchase in-store at a designated time ? is not new, its use for the iPhone 5s launch is noteworthy for another reason: with preorders for Apple's flagship smartphone a non-starter anywhere else in the world due to suspected constraints on initial inventory, China is the only place consumers can ensure they receive a device on launch day.
Those wishing to reserve an iPhone 5s in mainland China or Hong Kong can do so via Apple's online store beginning Sept. 17, with pick-ups commencing at 8 a.m. local time on Sept. 20.
Apple is expected to move up to 35 million more iPhones in 2014 due to new carrier partnerships in Asia, with a significant percentage of those additional sales generated in China thanks to Apple's anticipated partnership with China Mobile. The state-owned wireless carrier is the largest in the world, with more than 740 million subscribers.
Comments
Do I understand this correctly, the USA has to wait behind the Chinese? Apple, this is not fair. So China will buy up all the inventory and we in the good ole USA will wait behind the Chinese and get our 5s iPhones in a month or more? Time to sell my Apple Stock!
2nd post?
What does Apple do? But sell the 5S [B]first[/B] and prove them ALL wrong!!!
Apple obviously knows something that we don't. I think they are betting huge with 5C and 5S in the Chinese market!
Which sort of segways to this:
http://www.longlongtimeago.com/llta_fables_monkeycroc.html
Cool. Hope they can bring it to the US.
I doubt it. This was obviously implemented because of the huge problem with those Chinese scalpers.
The Chinese scalpers are annoying enough in the USA (I still get mad when thinking about me standing in line for the iPad 2 launch, and those scumbag scalpers), but the problem is apparently far worse in China.
What does Apple do? But sell the 5S first and prove them ALL wrong!!!
Not quite, Chinese people have already started pre-ordering their 5c's.
Both the 5c and 5s will be available on the same day, 9/20, in China.
Do I understand this correctly, the USA has to wait behind the Chinese? Apple, this is not fair. So China will buy up all the inventory and we in the good ole USA will wait behind the Chinese and get our 5s iPhones in a month or more? Time to sell my Apple Stock!
NSIS
I think it's because they have had issues with rioting at iPhone launches in the past in China. This way they can control access to the stores.
Apple has all the information months ago for this demand.
Do I understand this correctly, the USA has to wait behind the Chinese? Apple, this is not fair. So China will buy up all the inventory and we in the good ole USA will wait behind the Chinese and get our 5s iPhones in a month or more? Time to sell my Apple Stock!
LOL do you even have apple stock you short seller.
I love this move as I hate all those scalpers and ppl waiting in line/store will be true users.
I agree they have people standing in line with all cash buying them up ! last time i waited in line on the fifth ave store in manhattan and apple employees said they were all sold out and I complained about them buying them all up and they said it was nothing they can do about it and I said i'm in contract and I can't get a phone is ridicules So they pulled me aside and said to come back when they call me ! and they did.
I think you mean segues ....
That is what they should have done here. And had a similar reservation system.
I prefer to make ignorant assumptions about foreign markets from the hubris and convenience of my sofa. /s
Plus I believe the China phones will be completely different SKUs.
Bingo.
I am concerned, to be honest.
Almost 20h after the pre-orders opened, the iPhone 5C -- in all five colors, for all carriers, and in all memory options -- is still available for delivery on 09/20!?
Has this ever happened before? Can this be right?
Don't they usually sell out in less than one hour?
I worry....
In any case, long live Apple! Down with Microsoft! Down with Google!
~Sluffs~