It’s just like old times, and after the launch of iPad 2 in Hong Kong and white iPhone 4 in China last week, Apple’s iPad 2 went on sale at Apple Stores in China on Friday. The launch at Beijing Apple Store is outrageous, drawing hundreds of customers and scalpers to the store, and guess what, the iPad 2 goes out of stock in just 4 hours. We have lots of photos from the Beijing Apple Store’s iPad 2 launch after the break. Enjoy.
It’s 8 a.m. and we can see people waiting in line outside the Apple Store.
After two hours…
Customers? Or scalpers?
Looks like the Apple retail stuff has carefully managed the waiting line.
And there are securities!
All securities wear white shirt so they are easy to recognize.
They are responsible to watch out if there’s anyone cutting the queue, or any scuffles between customers and scalpers.
More securities…
Don’t mess around with this dog, it is specially trained to deal with furious scalpers.
Great to see Americans!!!
Man, how long is the line!?
I’m telling you, let me in!!! Or else…
Is there a fight going on here?
This woman is the first in the line, and she is 50-years-old. She has lots of Apple products, and the latest one she’s using right now is iPod touch. She thinks the iPod touch is very useful since the Apple store employee is always available to guide her on it. And now, she is in love with the iPad 2, and she is getting a 32GB model.
The fat boy standing beside her is her son. He thinks that Steve Jobs is the one who teaches his mum to use the Internet, although Jobs is not the guy who invent the computer. He thinks it’s a miracle to see a 50-year-old woman who knows how to use the Internet.
Outside the store, there’s a scalper telling customers to recognize his face, and look for him after purchasing the iPad 2 from the Apple Store. He will use cash to ‘accept’ the device.
Cash!
Apple store employees are getting ready for the launch. Last briefing!
And waving to customers!
Everything ready?
Hooray!!!
The new iPads!!!
The iPad 2 starts at 3688 yuan (about $568), and there’s only Wi-Fi model available for purchase. The 3G model is not yet available in China.
Local media arrives and hands-on the iPad 2. Awesome!
Customers are waiting in line to get their hands on the white version.
Behind the cashier, we can see the iPad 2 inventory. Amazing!
The Apple store employee will explain what’s in the box after you have made the purchase.
There’s an informal exit survey of customers appeared to indicate that the white iPad 2 was more popular than the black model. There a high demand for white model in China!
Local medias are trying to look for the best spots to capture the best shot.
It’s very crowded…
Outside the Apple Store, we see scalpers looking after their stacks of iPad 2s…
Scalpers will sell the iPad 2 outside the Apple Store for a markup of just 200-400 yuan ($30-60) For those customers who failed to get one from the store, some of them may buy it from the scalpers.
These are the scalpers.
This big yellow board says that this district forbids scalpers to sell stuff to customers… Behind the yellow board, it’s a special zone for scalpers to gather around.
Other Apple products are also available, including white iPhone 4!!!
It’s 1pm and we are still seeing hundreds of people waiting in line…