Despite government limitations and local competition, Chinese consumers flocked to Apple stores to purchase the newest iPhone 15, which is promising news for the most valuable corporation in the world in its biggest international market.
At a store in Beijing’s Wangfujing district, hundreds of people waited in line for salespeople as nearby scalpers watched them. Crowds crowded East Nanjing Road’s flagship location of Apple Inc. in Shanghai as well.
A 20-year-old customer named Liu claimed to have switched in an older iPhone for the iPhone 15 Pro in the Beijing store because he desired better photos. It would also be more powerful for gaming thanks to the upgraded processor. “I prefer a device with the best performance,” he stated.
Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 release is a crucial test of whether updated hardware and features will support the business’s return to growth. China, which contributes roughly 5% of Apple’s total sales, will be of special interest. While competitor Huawei Technologies Co. just unveiled its highly anticipated Mate 60 Pro, the Communist Party is expanding a prohibition on the use of iPhones in some agencies and state-owned businesses.
Compared to earlier Apple releases, there seemed to be less scalpers outside the Wangfujing store. One scalper solicited a potential buyer who wanted an iPhone 15 Pro for an extra 1,000 yuan ($137).
Other scalpers were similarly modest in their premium demands. Another vendor charged an additional 800 yuan for an iPhone 15 Pro Max with 1 terabyte of storage. The cost difference for the 512 GB iPhone 15 Pro was merely 400 to 500 yuan.
Another scalper came up to a customer who was exiting the store, but when he saw that the customer was wearing a Pro Max in natural titanium, he turned away. The hue isn’t popular, he claimed.
The young scalper added, “It’s kind of surprising the new color doesn’t sell today. In the first two hours after distribution, the man claimed to have only sold one device.
The scalpers in Shanghai were also earning minor profits. One scalper claimed that the titanium or white iPhone 15 Pro Max costs 800 yuan more than Apple’s suggested retail price. The social media website Xiaohongshu claims that there isn’t a current demand for the blue iPhone, nevertheless.
Wang, a 37-year-old male, recently received his iPhone 15 Pro Max. He said that he already had a Mate 60 Pro when asked if he had thought about purchasing the latest Huawei phone. He claimed that he used the iPhone for gaming and taking pictures and movies, while the Huawei phone is for daily use. According to him, the iPhone’s speedier CPU makes it more responsive in games.
Also Read | Oil prices rise as supply concerns outweigh demand fears