iPad Launch Day in China (with videos!)

By Chris Chang, posted Sep 17, 2010 at 5:41 AM, 1,279 views,

iPad Launch Day in China (with videos!)

Today is iPad day in China! Chinese Apple fans gather outside city stores for the launch of the Wi-Fi iPad from Apple, despite the heavy rain this morning. There’s over a hundred people lined up in front of the Apple store in Beijing, and there’s one customer at the front of the line had been waiting for over fifty hours! Here we have a wholesome of photos showing everything from the launch to unboxing and hands-on!

Getting ready for the launch

At Apple’s flagship Beijing retail store, eager fans lined up as much as three days before Friday’s 8 a.m. launch of the iPad. Snacks such as cookies and crackers are distributed to those waiting in line overnight, tissues and electric fans are provided too.

Waiting in line at Shanghai Apple store…

Free snacks from retail employees…

It’s summer here, tissues and electric fans are available for the Apple fans to cool down while waiting in line.

The Launch Day

Heavy rain falls on the launch day, but the Chinese Apple fans are still lining up to be the first to purchase the Wi-Fi iPad. As staff readied the store for the barrage of customers, umbrellas and bottles of water are distributed to those waiting in line outside the store. The Beijing Apple store then changes the launch time to 8 a.m. instead of the original 10 a.m. and hundreds of iPads were sold after 2 hours.

Crowds gathered at the Beijing and Shanghai Apple stores.

The employees are busy distributing umbrellas…

The demo iPads are all ready.

Apple employees sorting through orders before the store opens.

Final stage on preparation…

Opening in a few seconds…

Yeah! The launch begins and shop assistants welcome customers!

Cheering for the first customer to get the iPad from Beijing Apple store. He’s a very interesting man, let me introduce him to you later.

The Chinese media can’t wait to interview this Apple customer to be one of the first to officially buy an iPad in China.

Customers trying out the iPads…

Apple staff will help the customers to know more about the iPad. Do you need one?

Everyone likes the iPad so much!

Apple staff members celebrate as a customer leaves the store after purchasing an iPad. This is why you should buy an iPad at the retail store on the launch day.

The first man to purchase an iPad in Beijing Apple Store

This guy in blue shirt is David Han, who came straight to the store from work on Tuesday to be first in line, and queued for 58 hours! He is a bookstore owner and he purchased two iPads, a 16GB and 32GB, one for self-use and another is for his bookstore. He’s very happy to get the iPad, and when he was asked about why he’s not buying the iPad from Hong Kong, he said, “I could have bought an imported gray-market or pirated iPad, but I waited to buy it directly from an Apple Retail Store.” and he also told the media, “As a Chinese, I just wish I can buy my favorite Apple product at China’s Apple retail store. I disagree with purchasing parallel imported products, I do not buy pirated discs and books.” You can watch a video interview of him, in Chinese with no English subtitles.

David Han shows his bank notes to media when he celebrates his purchase of the iPad, and says, “I won’t use a credit card! I’m proud to pay with Renminbi (China’s national currency).” Looks like every Chinese needs to learn something from him…

Apple’s iPad unboxing and hands-on!

More photos at here.

iPad Launch at Suning

The city stores in the country have the iPad for sale too. Suning, the largest privately-owned electrical appliance retailer in China, launches the iPad at 10 a.m. and they have prepared 1000 iPads for customers to purchase. Below are some photos at its Beijing retail store.