iPhone 6 Launch – Chinese Flocking Japanese Stores

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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 6 has not launched in China yet, but in Japan, Chinese buyers were the first in line to buy the smartphones with a larger display, says a report from Brecorder. Due to licensing issues, China was not included in the initial list for the iPhone 6 release.

Chinese flocking Japanese stores for iPhone 6

Chinese customers were in abundance in front of Tokyo’s flagship Apple store in Glitzy Gina. Chen Manyan, a 21-year-old tourist from Fujian province, was standing in the line because the phone is not yet available in China. She acknowledged that it is quite expensive.

Another fan, Zou Zhiyang, 29, a Chinese student studying commerce in Tokyo said that he will buy two handsets, the maximum allowed. He intends to buy one for personal use and other to sell in China to a friend.

Sydney was among the first places to get the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and customers went overboard to get their hands on these new smartphones. Apple has adopted larger display for both the phones to catch up with the phablet trend.

Apple clears few licensing issues in China

Just hours before the launch, Chinese authorities noted that Apple has received the two necessary approvals, one that certifies the phone for Chinese market, and the other for the wireless device. The Xinhua News agency had said that the iPhone 6 is still lacking some important licenses required before shipping the phone to China.

Chinese customers are now relying heavily on the secondary market, especially in Hong Kong where dealers are ready to pay higher than the retail price because they expect Chinese customers to pay an exorbitant price.

Gary Yiu, the manager of the iGeneration phone reseller store, said, “If we are talking about the 128 gigabyte version we would buy it for as much as HK$18,000 ($2,322).” In a conversation with AFP, Yiu told that he has taken around 200 pre-orders with 60% to 70% of them coming from Chinese customers, and has already sent 10 members of the staff to get the iPhone 6 as soon as possible. Yiu told that 128GB iPhone 6 Plus is the most in-demand model, and it can for sell well over HK$20,000.

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