The queues for iPhone 16 track emerging economic realities

Something pretty interesting may be happening as the iPhone 16 goes on sale. If you look at the length of the queues outside Apple’s stores, its device has grabbed hearts and minds across emerging (read growth) markets, even as some of its more mature economies seem intent on litigating iOS into something less than it is.

Boom and bossed

Is it possible the length of the queues also reflect which economies are booming?

More importantly, to what extent does the new sales pattern undermine the data used by some analysts who like to say iPhones sales are disappointing every year, even when they’re not?

Finally, does the pattern show the extent to which Apple’s strategic decision to woo emerging economies will give the company the foundations it needs to continue to build success in the years ahead?

The line in Mumbai, India

Watch the lines

We’ll start with the queues. These seem strong across the APAC region:

• Hundreds waited outside stores in Taiwan, where Chunghwa Telecom Chairman Kuo Shui said he expected iPhone 16 to result in “the largest wave of iPhone upgrades since the launch of 5G. “
• In Thailand, large crowds also formed outside stores in Bangkok.

Apple’s store in Shanghai, China, certainly didn’t appear to be deserted

• Shanghai, China, seemed busy too.
• In the UAE, Dubai, Saleem Javed, CEO of Touchtel described the initial reaction to iPhone 16 as overwhelming. “Most definitely, sales are going to be much bigger compared to the iPhone 15,” he says.
• There was similar activity in Australia, Malaysia, but reception seemed a little more muted in Japan, Germany, UK and elsewhere in Europe.

There was a queue at Apple’s Regent Street, London store

• Even in Russia, apparently, new iPhones are fetching top Rouble on the grey market. Demand was up 15% on last year’s model, reports claim.

But Apple’s most interesting buzz so far seems to be in India, where the company has been investing massive resources to build its presence across every part of its business, from development, to sales, and manufacturing.

Local reports and video there show hundreds of enthusiastic consumers waiting to purchase iPhones this morning. At Apple’s Mumbai store, the queue stretched so far they had to let shoppers in in shifts – as they did across India (here’s a video in Delhi).

A home run in America

We’re seeing huge interest in the US. As noted by Mark Gurman, there be queues. One retail employee apparently said, “No contest, far more demand this year.” Another is quoted to say: “Biggest line we’ve had in a long time.”

So, with Europe in turmoil, Apple’s biggest markets are back at home in the US and across the APAC region, with new places such as India growing fast.

Is this a supercycle?

That’s a trend that won’t really become visible for a little more time yet, but it does appear that this particular model is set to strike quite close to the heels on Apple’s biggest recent introduction, the first 5G iPhones which set new sales records.

And the other big take is that as Europe and the UK founder, Apple’s business will compensate by accelerating sales elsewhere. The density of these lines don’t just gauge Apple’s success – I think they echo an emerging economic reality.

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