iPhone 5 Launches in 33 New Countries Including China

Here in Costa Rica I saw some people in line, but not too much as last year. I think people is borred of the same OS without changes. Other thing is that during the year many people has bough Galaxys S3 and I dont think they will change it.

iGrip said:

Apple's gross margin pales in comparison to that of Microsoft. If Apple were a software company, that would be bad. Therefore, apple is a hardware company, which explains why their gross margin is lower than that of Microsoft.

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Microsoft doesn't make the Dells.

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.

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Dude it's like the wee hours in the morning and you can only see red-shirted apple employees and a few people walking by. I don't think the store was even open for the day when the photo was taken.

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iGrip said:

Apple's gross margin pales in comparison to that of Microsoft. If Apple were a software company, that would be bad. Therefore, apple is a hardware company, which explains why their gross margin is lower than that of Microsoft.

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If Apple were a hardware company, that would be bad. I mean stuff like iPads and Macs have great design, but Samsung can make those too. OSX, iOS, and thei entire ecosystem is what's really making people want Apple products.

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mrfmanuel said:

Here in Costa Rica I saw some people in line, but not too much as last year. I think people is borred of the same OS without changes. Other thing is that during the year many people has bough Galaxys S3 and I dont think they will change it.

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What kind of changes did you want to see?

faroZ06 said:

Microsoft doesn't make the Dells.

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Right. Microsoft is a software company. That is why their gross margins are so much higher than Apple's, because Apple is a hardware company, which is why Apple's gross margins are so much lower than Microsoft's.

If Apple were a software company, then Microsoft would be better. But if we consider Apple to be a hardware company, then all is well. So therefore, Apple is a hardware company.

szw-mapple fan said:

Dude it's like the wee hours in the morning and you can only see red-shirted apple employees and a few people walking by. I don't think the store was even open for the day when the photo was taken.

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If Apple were a hardware company, that would be bad. I mean stuff like iPads and Macs have great design, but Samsung can make those too. OSX, iOS, and thei entire ecosystem is what's really making people want Apple products.

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What kind of changes did you want to see?

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Well, you are thinking as an Apple user. "Think different" and you will see that to transfer music, use different maps software and set the maps application that you preffer as default, to use NFC... What I wanted to say is that people expected something that beat the galaxy S3 but Apple couldn't archive the satisfaction of users... exept fans that thinks Apple is a religion.

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.

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Only two people? Actually, there was more than a dozen customers, but they went to the knock-off
Apple Store around the corner instead.

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.

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Whoever bases actual sales figure with lines in front of Apple Store in China is delusional. Apple doesn't allow this line at the first place. People need to go to Apple's website and enter their information for a lucky draw otherwise they can't walk in an buy an iPhone!

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Okay, here is the actual sales figure of the opening weekend:

Apple has announced that opening weekend sales of the iPhone 5 have topped two million units in China.

Customer response to iPhone 5 in China has been incredible, setting a new record with the best first weekend sales ever in China, said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “China is a very important market for us and customers there cannot wait to get their hands on Apple products.

http://9to5mac.com/2012/12/16/china...c-MacAllDay+(9+to+5+Mac+-+Apple+Intelligence)

Merlin9 said:

But the form factor is better and considering many people use a skin anyway the form factor is important too. The black Iphone 5 is one of the ugliest phones out there imo (at least the front, the backs is pretty good) . I like the white Iphone thought but it's a little too shiny for me. If the HTC One or the Nokia Lumia 920 were Iphones and the Iphone a Nokia everybody in here would praise them and bash the Iphone...

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Are you freaking kidding me? The Black iphone 5 is one of the most gorgeous black phones in the market right now. The NOkia lumia 920 only looks great from afar and it's a brick. Yes I have used it. The HTC one X grey model is a grease magnet. And yes I have used it.

Rogifan said:

Yeah and I bet Apple will shift at least that many iPhone 5's. so what.

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My point is that the Samsung is an able competitor and is starting to eat into Apple's marketshare. This wasn't the case 4 or 5 years ago when the first iPhone was on the market. Apple needs to revamp iOS and inject some pizzaz back into the product.

Informally, I noticed more and more people switching to Android. Hopefully the next iPhone will be spectacular.

coolspot18 said:

My point is that the Samsung is an able competitor and is starting to eat into Apple's marketshare. This wasn't the case 4 or 5 years ago when the first iPhone was on the market. Apple needs to revamp iOS and inject some pizzaz back into the product.

Informally, I noticed more and more people switching to Android. Hopefully the next iPhone will be spectacular.

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Steve Jobs said in 2007 that Apple is 5 years ahead of competitions. 5 years passed. So the competitors caught up. It's a fact well predicted by Apple. I think they may have something in the pocket given that Forstall & iOS map chief were fired.

mrfmanuel said:

Well, you are thinking as an Apple user. "Think different" and you will see that to transfer music, use different maps software and set the maps application that you preffer as default, to use NFC... What I wanted to say is that people expected something that beat the galaxy S3 but Apple couldn't archive the satisfaction of users... exept fans that thinks Apple is a religion.

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I can agree to the fact that Maps is truly a mess. A pity. They could have done a better job. I can see you prefer Android, but (I know you think I'm biased)I am really fond of a clean mobile OS.

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Merlin9 said:

But the form factor is better and considering many people use a skin anyway the form factor is important too. The black Iphone 5 is one of the ugliest phones out there imo (at least the front, the backs is pretty good) . I like the white Iphone thought but it's a little too shiny for me. If the HTC One or the Nokia Lumia 920 were Iphones and the Iphone a Nokia everybody in here would praise them and bash the Iphone...

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A bit too shiny?? You've got to be kidding me...

louis.b said:

Are you freaking kidding me? The Black iphone 5 is one of the most gorgeous black phones in the market right now. The NOkia lumia 920 only looks great from afar and it's a brick. Yes I have used it. The HTC one X grey model is a grease magnet. And yes I have used it.

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Every one is entitled to their opinion. I personally love 5's design.