iPhone 11 China Debut Draws Dozens Of Die-Hard Fans

The iPhone 11 hit the shelves in China on Friday, as dozens of eager die-hard fans waited in line for Apple’s latest offering. The soft reception pales in comparison to the long lines of people camped out ahead of previous releases, according to Reuters. 

Lines in Beijing and Shanghai comprised a “few dozen customers,” however Reuters offers an explanation for the lack of people; online pre-sales for the $699 – $1,099 phone which began last week. 

That said – it’s not for lack of interest per-se. Customers are ordering online in droves. 

Analysts said they had gotten off to a better start than the last cycle a year ago. Chinese e-commerce site JD.com said day one pre-sales for the iPhone 11 series were up 480% versus comparable sales for the iPhone XR last year.

Among customers that took to a store in Beijing on Friday to make a purchase in person was a programer who only gave his surname as Liu, who said he had a model from every Apple series since the 3G range. –Reuters

One fanboy said he was quite attracted to the higher-tier iPhone 11 Pro due to its three cameras on the back. “When it comes to taking photos, it’s better for night shots and the image is clearer,” the man who went by the name Liu told Reuters. 

That said, other customers noted that the new iPhones have no 5G capability vs. the latest phone offering by China’s Huawei Technologies as well as rival Vivo. 

“I think by the end of next year, especially in big cities like Beijing, 5G will be commonplace,” said Liu Liu, a civil servant, adding “If they don’t research this then they’ll lag way behind.”

The in-store launch of the iPhone 11 in China came a day after Chinese smartphone maker Huawei unveiled new smartphones which it said were more compact, with more sensitive cameras and wraparound screens more vivid than those of the latest iPhone, though it played down concerns about the lack of access to Google’s popular apps. –Reuters

According to the report, Huawei phones have seen a boost in support from Chinese consumers amid the ongoing trade war with the United States.