iPhone 5 Launches in 33 New Countries Including China

MacRumors · Dec 14, 2012

In line with its announcement from earlier this month, Apple today launched the iPhone 5 in 33 new countries, with the most prominent member of the group being China.

Unlike the chaos that reigned at the iPhone 4S launch earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reports that the iPhone 5 appears to have been quite subdued. It is unclear, however, how much of the change may be due to lack of interest and how much may have been related to snowy weather and changes in Apple's sales policies designed to reduce scalping and other factors that have led to problems at previous launches.

Friday's iPhone 5 launch was notable for a different kind of white: a rare accumulation of fresh snow that blanketed the nearly empty plaza outside the Sanlitun store.

At 8 am on Friday, when the store opened to hurrahs from employees, only two consumers stood inside a cordon set up by Apple, though they were joined by a desultory snow man someone had made on a bench near the entrance.

Apple's new sales policies require customers to enter a lottery for the right to purchase an iPhone in the store, with winners being given specific windows of time in which to pick up their devices.

Fortune has also collected a handful of videos showing launches in China, Malaysia, and the Philippines that were part of today's major rollout in the following countries: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Ecuador, Grenada, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kuwait, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldova, Montenegro, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.

Article Link: iPhone 5 Launches in 33 New Countries Including China

Joe-Diver · Dec 14, 2012

More Launching!

Tiger8 · Dec 14, 2012

in other news

iPhone 5s coming soon!

Rogifan · Dec 14, 2012

Ah so this is why AAPL stock is down 4% today. I figure when they announce they've sold 50M iPhones in the quarter the stock will probably drop 10%

iGrip · Dec 14, 2012

One Trick Pony?

This is very, very bad news. The iPhone accounts for a huge chunk of Apple's profits. If not for the iPhone, Apple would not be the same company. It would not be a huge corporate name brand as it currently is.

And now it looks like there may be significantly less demand for the newest iPhone in China?

The stock is currently down more than 3%.

Rogifan · Dec 14, 2012

iGrip said:
This is very, very bad news. The iPhone accounts for a huge chunk of Apple's profits. If not for the iPhone, Apple would not be the same company. It would not be a huge corporate name brand as it currently is.

And now it looks like there may be significantly less demand for the newest iPhone in China?

The stock is currently down more than 3%.

What are you basing this on? Sales figures beat out antidotal evidence of people standing outside a store. Especially in China where they have a reservation system. But I'm not surprised FUD is driving the stock down.

coolspot18 · Dec 14, 2012

Rogifan said:
What are you basing this on? Sales figures beat out antidotal evidence of people standing outside a store. Especially in China where they have a reservation system. But I'm not surprised FUD is driving the stock down.

The iPhone will sell well in China, but more and more people are opting for the Galaxy/Android phone. The iPhone needs a refresh, it's facing stiff competition.

ChrisA · Dec 14, 2012

iGrip said:
This is very, very bad news. The iPhone accounts for a huge chunk of Apple's profits. If not for the iPhone, Apple would not be the same company.....

I really do hope this iPhone/iPad thing blows over and fizzles. I wont Apple to go back to making computers for professionals. Yes cut out all the consumer orients "glossy" screens and put all thos engineers back to work on Mac OS X and the suite of props, like Logic and Aperture. So what if they have a 2% market share, you can choose to be in this 2% club if you like.

Eventually this WILL happen.

iGrip · Dec 14, 2012

Rogifan said:
What are you basing this on? Sales figures beat out antidotal evidence of people standing outside a store. Especially in China where they have a reservation system. But I'm not surprised FUD is driving the stock down.

You raise reasonable points. I am struck by the contrast with the past experience, however. Time will tell.

If Apple breaks out iPhone sales in China during any interviews or conference calls or presentations, then all is well. If Apple says nothing about iPhone sales in Asia, then the market may feel a need to factor in the uncertainty.

Merlin9 · Dec 14, 2012

Even my Samsung Nexus S looks better than the Iphone 5 in black. The Iphone 4/4s was special because of the elegant design. The Iphone 5 is nothing special. Not the design, not the display. And even the software is not so special anymore...

I am not an Android "fanboy" btw. I own a Mac and will own an Ipad Mini in a few days...

vmachiel · Dec 14, 2012

The empire expands

barkomatic · Dec 14, 2012

Wow, two people? That's a stark contrast to past launches. Even considering some snow, a lottery system and anti-scalping policies that is strange. Perhaps this is a turning point for the iPhone. Not that Android products are super exciting either.

iGrip · Dec 14, 2012

ChrisA said:
I wont Apple to go back to making computers for professionals. Yes cut out all the consumer orients "glossy" screens and put all thos engineers back to work on Mac OS X and the suite of props, like Logic and Aperture. So what if they have a 2% market share, you can choose to be in this 2% club if you like.

Eventually this WILL happen.

Apple is riding high on consumer sales in the most profitable market segments.

They are experiencing success greater than ever in their history, and arguably, greater than any company in history.

Eventually, the sun will die too. But don't hold your breath for either event.

Rogifan · Dec 14, 2012

coolspot18 said:
The iPhone will sell well in China, but more and more people are opting for the Galaxy/Android phone. The iPhone needs a refresh, it's facing stiff competition.

And you're basing this on?

----------

barkomatic said:
Wow, two people? That's a stark contrast to past launches. Even considering some snow, a lottery system and anti-scalping policies that is strange. Perhaps this is a turning point for the iPhone. Not that Android products are super exciting either.

We heard the same stories about no lines the day the iPad mini came out. Heck I was able to walk right into an Apple store and get one no problem. Now NPD is claiming Apple is asking for 12 million displays for this quarter. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57559159-37/ipad-mini-set-to-eclipse-retina-ipad/

I don't think lines outside a store are indicative of anything these days.

Jibbajabba · Dec 14, 2012

Apple's new sales policies require customers to enter a lottery for the right to purchase an iPhone in the store, with winners being given specific windows of time in which to pick up their devices.

No gadget could be so important to me that I'd go through that sort of hassle ...

Rogifan · Dec 14, 2012

Anyway this is why the stock is down today:

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/exte...-says-stock-at-10-month-low/?partner=yahootix

Menge · Dec 14, 2012

And keeping with the tradition of being the most expensive iPhone in the world, the iPhone 5 costs US$1200 unsubsidized and US$750 under the most expensive plan at Vivo, one of the operators in Brazil.

MacBH928 · Dec 14, 2012

after 2 long months of waiting, finally it was released on my country.

I think people that say that Apple is losing market to Samsung because iPhone become stale are wrong. It is as simple as Apple did not have competition earlier on, the S3 is the real competitor because S2 was no where as popular. It would be the same if some one invented an iPod competitor(worthwhile one, not Zune)
it is only natural to losing customers after losing the monopoly.

As for the iphone I am not sure what would Apple do to enhance it, it already works too well, fast and light. though I would say the iOS could use refrshing and extra capabilities . Gui can be highly enhanced and it about time to get numbers on the same keyboard of the letters.

hardware wise, its as good as it gets until there is a new advancement in technology. Steve Jobs was always about the software not the hardware, isn't that what separates macs from Wndows machines?

iGrip · Dec 14, 2012

kingmohd84 said:
hardware wise, its as good as it gets until there is a new advancement in technology. Steve Jobs was always about the software not the hardware, isn't that what separates macs from Wndows machines?

No. Apple is a hardware company. The hardware is what separates Macs from Windows machines.

People like Apple hardware because it is so easy to use.

Higgs boson · Dec 14, 2012

It is not surprising that there is no line.

1) reservation system. You will not get the phone by being in line without winning the competitive lottery the day before. If you win, there is no point being in line as the phone is already reserved for you.

2) Only iphone from China Telecom , the country's smallest mobile carrier, is available at Beijing Apple stores.
http://www.zacks.com/research/get-news.php?id=349h6904

Rogifan · Dec 14, 2012

iGrip said:
No. Apple is a hardware company. The hardware is what separates Macs from Windows machines.

People like Apple hardware because it is so easy to use.

While I tend to agree with you, Steve Jobs probably wouldn't.

golgo1313 · Dec 14, 2012

Menge said:
And keeping with the tradition of being the most expensive iPhone in the world, the iPhone 5 costs US$1200 unsubsidized and US$750 under the most expensive plan at Vivo, one of the operators in Brazil.

that is because Brazil has ridiculous import duty. that is not Apple's fault. wasn't Foxconn going to build a factory in Brazil to circumvent the duty? what happened to that?

flux73 · Dec 14, 2012

iGrip said:
No. Apple is a hardware company. The hardware is what separates Macs from Windows machines.

People like Apple hardware because it is so easy to use.

Have to disagree. It's a little bit of both, but more about the software. Without easy to use software, the hardware wouldn't be worth anything. iOS wouldn't be where it is today without all the great apps available for it. Even OS X managed to build critical mass because of software like Photoshop, Aperture, Garageband, Final Cut Pro, and other professional media creation tools.

YGAB · Dec 14, 2012

here's a good Wall Street Journal video report on the iPhone 5 reception in Beijing:

http://live.wsj.com/video/shoppers-...E0.html#!390E7EFC-401F-4162-AECF-677D9D7113E0

even in "Spring City" of Kunming, Yunnan (Western China) today... the iPhone 5 reception is very chilled.

to be honest... there are so many worthy android smartphones in the Chinese Market today that utilize China's top social mobile apps such as weixing, momo, ect. just as effectively as the iPhones.... also, Samsung advertisements has been omnipresent and aggressive in the month leading to today's iPhone 5/iPad mini launch...

apfeljonas · Dec 14, 2012

ChrisA said:
I really do hope this iPhone/iPad thing blows over and fizzles. I wont Apple to go back to making computers for professionals. Yes cut out all the consumer orients "glossy" screens and put all thos engineers back to work on Mac OS X and the suite of props, like Logic and Aperture. So what if they have a 2% market share, you can choose to be in this 2% club if you like.

Eventually this WILL happen.

It will never, ever, ever happen. Quit dreaming.

iPhone 5 Launches in 33 New Countries Including China

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