2012 Jan 06 Apple's iPhone 4S Launch To Bring Crowds and Scalpers to Sanlitun Soon
Apple’s iPhone 4S arrives in China next week. Before you head down to join the feverish masses, think about whether this latest smartphone version is worth the inevitable pain and suffering. Given the chaos and catastrophes that have befallen previous Apple releases, I’d stay clear of Sanlitun on Friday the 13th. (But Apple has a special shopping deal of some sort available today only, both in-store and online. Wonder what that's all about?)
If you do decide to invest in the latest iPhone, here’s a bit of what you can look forward to:
Long lines and lots of crowds.
Scalpers buying up all the stock and driving up the street value.
Fights between employees and scalpers resulting in broken windows and bloody noses.
NB. No violence has ever been reported at Beijing’s second Apple store at Xidan Joy City. It might be best to hop on Line 1 and stay far away from Sanlitun.
Pricing and plans have yet to be officially released, but rumors are that prices for the iPhone 4S may look like this:
- 16GB: RMB 4,988
- 32GB: RMB 5,988
- 64GB: RMB 6,788
Expect pre-ordering to begin within the next few days at China Unicom. Possibly even at China Telecom, who could be offering the phone as well. They’ve recently put up promotional posters in their stores suggesting as much, though nothing official has been announced; China Unicom remains the only provider mentioned on Apple’s China site.
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maxwu
Re: Apple's iPhone 4S Launch To Bring Crowds and Scalpers ...
Today's deal isn't bad considering Apple doesn't have discounts at all. Even if the wireless keyboard is something people might not need desperately, 468 kuai instead of 548 kuai is enough incentive to try it out. Same with the Magic mouse.
Other things that are cheaper than on Taobao and also are pretty cool:
Thule 13" Attache Case
Thule Crossover
I'm thinking about upgrading my laptop, but I guess 770 off isn't enough to motivate me to purchase a Pro today.
Max Wu - Web Editorial Assistant at the Beijinger