The long-awaited iPhone 17 finally arrived around the globe on Friday. It attracted millions of visitors and record-breaking queues from Beijing to London. Production delays meant customers were left waiting for their brand new machines. This upgraded model comes with a much larger memory capacity but retains the original model’s pricing. The launch comes at a time when Apple seeks to strengthen its position in the global smartphone market amid increasing competition from local brands and rising doubts about its artificial intelligence capabilities.
In Beijing, shoppers waited in huge lines outside the Apple store in Sanlitun. Customers such as Liu had been waiting for hours to purchase the new flagship iPhone 17 Pro Max. Liu’s recent defection from Huawei to Apple. For instance, he adores the iPhone for its highly intuitive user experience and access to entertainment.
I love to upgrade my phone every year, Jasmine, an eager customer in line. I can’t believe Apple keeps surprising us with exciting new stuff!
Early reservation numbers show strong customer demand globally for the innovative, limitless iPhone 17 lineup. This thrilling cast of characters includes the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and the iPhone Air. However, available for purchase were new Apple Watch and AirPods models. News stories say that JD.com experienced record-shattering demand for the iPhone 17 line. On the very first day even these preorders dwarfed those of last year’s iPhone 16 series.
Iman Isa and Daniel Muhamed Nuv endured a five-hour queue at Marina Bay Mall. They couldn’t wait for the day their first iPhone 17 Pros would hit the streets. Their customers are clamoring to get their hands on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Since then, they’ve sent a strong signal that this model is their preferred option!
The demand for AirPods Pro 3 surged as well, with customers citing its live translation feature as a significant selling point. This is all catching on with consumers who are more and more demanding multifunctional devices.
In London, queues for the iPhone 17 launch were longer than last year’s iPhone 16 debut. The customers out there had a clear preference for higher-end offerings like the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. Apple now commands just a paltry 10% stake of the Chinese smartphone landscape. In fact, it lags far behind strong domestic rivals like Oppo, Huawei, and Xiaomi.
Against this increasingly hostile background, analysts are calling on Apple to step up its commitment to AI. Ben Wood, an industry analyst, stated that “there is no question that Apple needs to deliver on AI.” He added, “Apple has to catch up [in AI], but right now, I think they’ve got enough runway to be able to cope in the intervening period.”
The fervor around the upcoming iPhone 17 isn’t in its new color options or exterior design. Apple happily boasts that these changes make the phone better at dissipating heat. This feature would be a big plus in user experience, and it could bring new customers interested in the more state-of-the-art technology.
With the smartphone market soon approaching saturation, how Apple tries to play it from here will be key to keeping it in the game come 2015 and beyond. With strong sales reported globally and a growing interest in its premium products, Apple aims to secure its place in an increasingly competitive environment.