Why halt production? Apple can barely meet the insane demand for the iPhone as it is.
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Apple Halts In-Store iPhone 4S Sales in China Over Safety Concerns
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Why halt production? Apple can barely meet the insane demand for the iPhone as it is.
I have never understood why Apple does not put controls on sales at launch of new products to provide a good experience for all customers. An example of what I'm suggesting would be to not sell products for cash at launch (in US stores) to ensure that purchases are only made by local customers in the launch market. I'm sure each market would need it's own set of controls to deal with it's own local needs. So what would China need?
Apple didn't seem to learn much from the iPhone 4 launch in China. Same situation. Even the same store.
The Chinese people do not hate America or Americans. I travel there every 6 weeks.
You cannot stop the gangs from buying up iPhones and reselling them. They are willing to camp out for days in front of the stores to be the first 200 in line...
Two questions (and potential answers):
- Why do we always see organised lines in photos from product launches in the North America, Europe, Australia, Japan and other countries and only unorganised crowds in China? Do the Apple Stores in China not even attempt to organise the lines? Are they not allowed to cordon-off lines and employ private security guards in the public space (as they do in the North America, Europe, Australia, Japan and other countries)? Or do the Chinese simply don't feel the need to obey to private security guards that show them the end of the line?
- Who does bring eggs to a product launch? Is is some sort of power struggle between scalpers and Apple, ie, if Apple restricts the scalper's access by imposing limits like two phones at most and some ID to keep track of people, do the scalpers threaten Apple to create a riot (not in written form but by just creating a bit of a riot as a warning to Apple)?
I guess non-controversial answers might be:
- ratio between potential customers and stores is just much lower in China which makes line forming much more difficult
- a very large pool of very cheap labour that can be employed by scalpers to buy products (and create riots) simply because of the much larger group of relatively poor people in Chinese cities
- Why do we always see organised lines in photos from product launches in the North America, Europe, Australia, Japan and other countries and only unorganised crowds in China? Do the Apple Stores in China not even attempt to organise the lines? Are they not allowed to cordon-off lines and employ private security guards in the public space (as they do in the North America, Europe, Australia, Japan and other countries)? Or do the Chinese simply don't feel the need to obey to private security guards that show them the end of the line?
- Who does bring eggs to a product launch? Is is some sort of power struggle between scalpers and Apple, ie, if Apple restricts the scalper's access by imposing limits like two phones at most and some ID to keep track of people, do the scalpers threaten Apple to create a riot (not in written form but by just creating a bit of a riot as a warning to Apple)?
I guess non-controversial answers might be:
- ratio between potential customers and stores is just much lower in China which makes line forming much more difficult
- a very large pool of very cheap labour that can be employed by scalpers to buy products (and create riots) simply because of the much larger group of relatively poor people in Chinese cities
I think "Themaeds" was referring to how many workers at Foxconn commit suicide, far more of a travesty than an angry mob. We turn a blind eye to these tragedies.
Fly on over to China and help out with the production! I am sure you will love the working conditions! Why waste your time preaching on macrumors when you can really make a difference in those factories.... please please... please!!!
I have never personally witnessed a Chinese person hating Amercians. I feel this statement reeks of BS, and your own personal view on humans of different races.
In fact, I have yet to meet a chinese person (in China or here) that does not envy us from the west.
On topic, that is some amazing turnout.
Or halve the size of the crowd, the waiting times and safety concerns by offering two per customer. That's not rocket science either.
You hit the nail on the head...I find it hard to use this wonderful device when i think about all the innocent lives that were lost.
First they suffer tragedy through the production process, then they risk being trampled while buying it. This is madness!
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Hardly. The chinese scalpers actually come over here to the US when the phone is released here...then go back to their country...that's pretty hardcore.
Also, the Chinese have a higher limit on what you can buy. They need to limit them to 1 iPhone and 2 iPads at launch.
C'mon now. Suicides are a part of life in this world. Did you realize that the suicide rate amongst Foxconn workers is far lower than suicide rate in China? Depending on who you ask, the suicide rate in China is 14/100,000 (or 29/100,000). The suicide rate at Foxconn was 14/800,000 ... or around 2/100,000 in 2010, which was the high water mark. Last year, they had 4 attempts.
Not entirely sure if the data only includes suicide attempts at Foxconn location or if it's for all Foxconn workers.
Things aren't exactly idyllic in rural China, where people are more likely to die of starvation or disease. China in 2012 is a little like the US in 1912, except its government is more ruthless.
Actually, the workers at FoxConn probably have it better than most.
As I said above, what if scalpers can easily find thousands of people to be employed for $5 to wait a day in front of a store? That would not be affected by the one-per-customer rule.
(Requiring a credit card likely would but I do not know if this would an acceptable requirement in China.)
Not only is it a cold response, it's not particularly intelligent either: China Mobile is not going to be "brought online" any time soon, and CERTAINLY not prior to the end of this quarter. There is no way China Mobile will "really propel Apple's quarter". Also, if Apple do not allow orders to be taken online (in addition to disallowing sale from their own Retail Stores), how is this really propelling Apple's quarter ??
There are only 5 Apple stores in mainland China...
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Not like in the US that Apple open their stores in every university, every Target and Bestbuy, Apple in China intentionally made themselves "elite look-like" by only opening a few (5 actually) gigantic stores in the richest communities in China. Chinese have no shame maybe, but Apple definitely should take some responsibilities for such a frenzy.
I agree. It sickens me that we continually support companies like Apple than have no regard for human life. As far as I'm concerned, every time we buy from Apple it is using blood money.
Sent from my iPhone