Diminished crowds await the iPhone 11 in China as consumers move online, consider Huawei

Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) new iPhone 11 hit retail shelves in China on Friday, but the crowds of people clamoring to be among the first to buy were noticeably smaller than in recent years. 

Dozens, not hundreds, waited in line at stores in Beijing and Shanghai, according to media reports.

However, the reduced crowd size may have something to do with a shift towards online shopping. Chinese e-commerce retailer JD.com said pre-sales of the iPhone 11 on its site were nearly six times greater than comparable sales of the iPhone XR, which launched last year. 

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The Apple launch comes just a day after Chinese smartphone giant Huawei revealed the new Mate 30 line of phones that it claims are more compact, have better cameras, and most importantly, feature a 5G chip.

One thing Apple does have going for it: access to Google apps like Gmail, Google Maps and Youtube, thanks to an executive order from the Trump administration banning US companies from doing business from Huawei.

The baseline iPhone 11 sells for $699, while the Pro Max variety, three camera lenses and all, retails for $1,099.

Contact Andrew Kessel at [email protected] 

Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel

Story by ProactiveInvestors