Short queues, high demand as iPhone 12 hits stores
But I only need one…
Apple’s iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 became available at retail even as pre-orders began to arrive on Friday, October 23.
We know interest in the product, and product demand is high with pre-orders shifting fast. We also know that while most people are interested in 5G, the processor seems equally important as consumers purchase the best device they can afford now as they prepare to handle the next potentially very challenging few years.
Meanwhile, the review seem incredibly positive this year.
Here’s what’s happening in global iPhone sales so far:
Short queues, high demand
Word is that while the pandemic queues are shorter than before, pre-orders have been far higher than normal, with one in three Americans planning to buy one of the devices while stocks in Taiwan are already in short supply.
Meanwhile, in the UK, some major blunders on the part of carriers mean customers who pre-ordered the devices in full expectation of receiving them on or around launch day are now being told they’ll need to wait until November.
Here’s a few Apple fans queueing at the flagship Regent Street store.
Apple has changed its retail stores introducing an Express Storefront service that’s fast and socially distanced in order to expedite in-store sales.
Stores are focused on pickup rather than retail sale. It is also doing its best to persuade people not to queue – in the U.S., for example, it is giving people timed reservation slots if they turn up to queue in order to minimize human-to-human contact.
Despite these efforts queues still formed on launch day – here’s one in Australia
Ya es 23 de octubre en Australia.
Aquí están los primeros compradores del #iPhone12 en Sidney. pic.twitter.com/VF26SdcJs7— Olik Valera (@olikvalera) October 22, 2020
There were also people outside stores in China, though most of these were pre-orderers waiting to pick up their new toy.
Apple: ‘We’ll take care of you’
Apple’s senior vice president of retail and people, Deirdre O’Brien, has explained how the company has changed the way stores operate in order to protect customers.
“This year is going to feel different in our stores – you’re used to experiencing that wonderful energy where everybody is shoulder to shoulder gathered around the new iPhones – we’re not going to have that experience this year,” she told PA.
“If people come to the store – which we want them to, we love the enthusiasm about our products – if you come to the store we will give you an appointment time to come back and visit us and then you’ll be in your own slot and we’ll take great care of you.”
This is the hugest pile of iPhones you can imagine -- think how many hours of work and development it represents.This is the hugest pile of iPhones you can imagine -- think how many hours of work and development it represents.
Apple has published a bunch of images from around the world as the iPhones go on sale, these are available in this gallery above, which presently features images from Apple’s distribution center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and Lousiville Kentucky, China, Singapore and more.
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