iPhone 4S Launches to Long Lines in Hong Kong and South Korea

[MacRumors]

The iPhone 4S officially launched in fifteen new countries today, with Hong Kong and South Korea being two of the highest-profile new markets.

M.I.C gadget followed the opening in Hong Kong, noting that over 3,000 people showed up at Apple's massive new flagship store in the IFC Mall. But Apple staff reportedly allowed only 1,250 of those people to line up for the device, resulting in a significant number of people being turned away and milling about in advance of the opening.

Hong Kong scalpers collecting bags full of iPhones for gray market distribution​

Hong Kong has long been a popular market for scalpers given its close proximity to China proper and its lack of sales taxes and VAT. Given that the iPhone 4S has not yet launched in China, the Hong Kong launch was indeed primed for a significant gray market push from scalpers. M.I.C gadget notes that the vast majority of people in line at the Hong Kong Apple store appeared to be purchasing on behalf of scalpers, with many of them having been paid to stand in line and purchase the maximum of five devices. Following pre-orders last week that sold out in just ten minutes, reports indicate that Apple's retail store sold out of its own stock within three hours.

Gray market dealer in Hong Kong already offering dozens of iPhone 4S units for sale​

M.I.C gadget also details how quickly the scalped devices made their way to gray market dealers, with some offering as many as 50-100 iPhone 4S units for sale within a few hours of its official launch.

iPhone 4S line at flagship KT store in South Korea​

iPhone 4S lines were also long in South Korea, as reported by Yonhap, with carriers KT and SK Telecom serving as the primary launch locations given the absence of any official Apple retail stores in the country. SK Telecom invited the first 100 pre-order customers to a midnight launch event with local hip-hop artists and other fanfare, while KT opted to focus on the more traditional customer lineup for the morning launch of the device.

In addition to Hong Kong and South Korea, the iPhone 4S also launched today in Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Malta, Montenegro, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Portugal, and Romania.

Article Link: iPhone 4S Launches to Long Lines in Hong Kong and South Korea

 

[iAppleseed]

I never wanted to buy iPhones from Gray Markets.

 

[surf2snow1]

I never wanted to buy iPhones from Gray Markets.

How much do they make do they make per iPhone on the gray market?

 

[applefan289]

Hooray for stinky, dirty businessmen!

 

[LeiQQ]

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Those people in the Hong Kong pic are not ethnically Chinese. I think the pics were mixed up.

 

[derbladerunner]

Maximum of five phones ? Hmm.

Why doesn't Apple limit the number to 3 or better 2 devices, at least for the first weeks. Five phones per person is just a welcome for scalpers.

 

[haruhiko]

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Those people in the Hong Kong pic are not ethnically Chinese. I think the pics were mixed up.

No. That is a real photo from Hong Kong. The scalper hired these South Asian residents to line up for them.

 

[Pink∆Floyd]

Those Indians look like they don't have good intentions...

 

[9822737]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

Those people in the Hong Kong pic are not ethnically Chinese. I think the pics were mixed up.

So!? Doesn't mean they don't live there!

 

[Caliber26]

Are all those phones they're buying to resell, unlocked?

 

[rageguy]

I'm in HK right now. You make 1500 to 1800 per iPhone in HKD. That's roughly 200 something in CAD and USD. Prices are dropping as we speak.

HK is known for scalping. It's nothing shocking at all. China is filled with rich people who will spend any amount to acquire new and fancy things. As long as the people in China are so loaded, this scalping won't end.

90% of the people in the line in HK do not love Apple. They do it to scalp. Also, they are all black, brown or Filipino people. They are paid to line up.

 

[aziatiklover]

How much do they make do they make per iPhone on the gray market?

they are selling them for double the price!

Are all those phones they're buying to resell, unlocked?

yes all iphones sold outside of the us and in an apple store are all unlocked. Apple stores outside of the us never sell any iphone locked under a carrier or for a carrier. For that matter you will have to go to the carrier to get the contract iphone.

 

[i hate phones]

holy apple bags filled to the brim in the 1st pic! wonder if they have a 64gigger then can spare since mine will probably still be on back order next year

 

[sanke1]

Those Indians look like they don't have good intentions...

Being Indian myself, I hate such dirty businessguys. Hope store limits purchases to 1 per person.

 

[Caliber26]

yes all iphones sold outside of the us and in an apple store are all unlocked. Apple stores outside of the us never sell any iphone locked under a carrier or for a carrier. For that matter you will have to go to the carrier to get the contract iphone.

Thanks! Oddly enough, I didn't know that.

 

[Consultant]

Should have limited it to 1 per person for cash, 2 per person for credit card.

 

[ShiftyPig]

This reminds me of the time in an Apple Store when I was second in line and the queue was building up because the sketchy looking guy in front of me was buying $8,000 worth of $25 iTunes gift cards.

I turned to the lady behind me and said, "yeah, this is totally not a scam." The Apple Store employee cracked a smile at the time then told me while serving me that he's in all the time. His money clears though so they take it.

 

[billu2006]

I'm Hong Kong people. Most of the buyers, sold their iPhones straight away after they have bought the phones. Proximately, they can get at least HK$1000 per 1 iPhone.

As a truly end user of iphone and mac lover, i really hate this kind of business. Everyone is crazy to get iPhone to sell.One of my friends, pre-ordered 16 pcs online on apple store, and it is common for anyone who wants to make profit on it.Online apple store stopped the pre-order just 20 mins after they launched it. So you can imagine how many end user cant get their iPhone to use.

I dont know if it is a common phenomenal around the world

Sorry for my poor english since english is not my first language

 

[adder7712]

Still no launch in Malaysia. Maybe we'll get the fully unlocked models later this month...

 

[BC2009]

I'm in HK right now. You make 1500 to 1800 per iPhone in HKD. That's roughly 200 something in CAD and USD. Prices are dropping as we speak.

HK is known for scalping. It's nothing shocking at all. China is filled with rich people who will spend any amount to acquire new and fancy things. As long as the people in China are so loaded, this scalping won't end.

90% of the people in the line in HK do not love Apple. They do it to scalp. Also, they are all black, brown or Filipino people. They are paid to line up.

I think Apple solves this by releasing in China and Hong Kong simultaneously. Additionally, I am curious why you point out the ethnicity of the people in line. Are you saying that these folks are not Hong Kong citizens and are flown in to buy the phones and then fly out with the phones in hand to sell them?

It would seem to me that a scalper wanting to make the most money would fly himself into Hong Kong, hire a bunch of locals to get the phones, and then pack them up and fly them home himself to start selling them. Less plane tickets that way.

Of course the small-time scalper would be more than happy with buying five phones and selling them on the internet.

Maybe I am just ignorant to how this scalping business works.

 

[surf2snow1]

they are selling them for double the price!


yes all iphones sold outside of the us and in an apple store are all unlocked. Apple stores outside of the us never sell any iphone locked under a carrier or for a carrier. For that matter you will have to go to the carrier to get the contract iphone.

Thanks, I had no idea they sold for that much!

 

[ade2bee]

How much do they make do they make per iPhone on the gray market?

About 200 US, If not more

----------

Maximum of five phones ? Hmm.

Why doesn't Apple limit the number to 3 or better 2 devices, at least for the first weeks. Five phones per person is just a welcome for scalpers.

here, here.

 

[ghostface147]

Professional scalpers. Jeez. That's not right, but what can you do? Force them to activate the phones there?

 

[solaris8x86]

Shame city, shame races. The local TV news tonight reported that they are not the real Hong Kong people. These guys who lined up for days are (1) Black society (Dark Society), (2) Chi-na (men without education from China, like beggers), (3) part of the migrants from Indian and Pakistan.

The picture of the Apple Store was very shame at all as broadcasting in TV news. Just like on a couple weeks ago when the Apple Store was first open. Some HK beggars slept on the floor)

Dirty businessmen with dirty mind. They used hand-to-hand combat for the iPhone 4s in the street as reported in TVB news. Jesus christ.

 

[keruah]

I never wanted to buy iPhones from Gray Markets.

Legal iPhones here in my country cost 50% more than gray ones from HK. The only difference is guarantee, I believe.