iPhone 4 In China: Smash Success

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Yesterday morning, the iPhone 4 was released on to the world’s biggest country. Many were wondering how the Chinese would respond to the device, considering the first iPhone sold there was for all intents and purposes – a flop. But the new iPhone 4 looks to be quite the success in just 24 hours of being on sale.

Last year, when the iPhone 3G went on sale in China, many called it a bust after analysts reported it sold only 5,000 units, out of the countries’ estimated 800 million mobile phone customers. There were the usual stores about how those who use Asian languages don’t like touchscreens, and some assumed that in a country where you could find cheap clones of the iPhone, who cares about the real thing?

Well, apparently, a lot of people care about the real thing.

Not only did carrier China Unicom get 50,000 orders on the first day the carrier started offering pre-orders, but more than 1,000 people lined up outside a brand new Apple store in Xidan Joy City waiting for their chance to get the new iPhone.

Sun Jian Kuan, a linewaiter, told Computerworld:

It’s like waiting in line to see a movie star. No phone can best the iPhone.

And what about the idea that iPhones aren’t popular in a country where clones are so readily available? Ma Ming, another person in line, said to Computerworld:

All of these people are Apple fans. It means that Apple has a lot of fans in China.

(Image Credit: AFP)