Apple Beijing Store Pelted With Eggs

denverpilot

denverpilot

Tied Down
Joined
Nov 8, 2009
Messages
55,469
Location
Denver, CO
Display Name
Display name:
DenverPilot
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-...ing-debut-delayed-as-main-store-unopened.html

Oh, man! I bet Steve Jobs is ****ed! Oh. Wait...

Apparently Apple can't execute the way they used to at product launch with no one around to throw temper tantrums at people screwing things up? ;)

Love my Apple stuff but a bit worried this is a sign of things to come for them. In the past you'd just wait for the announcement of who's heads rolled after a story like this one. It was a given, not a question.

Now it'll be, "I wonder if any Apple exec's heads will roll for this?" If the answer is "no, we'll make excuses", they're doomed to mediocrity again soon...

They just botched their roll out in one of the largest growth markets for their company in the world. If the guy or gal in charge of Asia keeps their job, or worse, participates in their bonus plan post-launch... they've lost their way.
 
I noticed this paragraph:

>>
The violence adds to challenges for Apple in China, where company supplier Foxconn Technology Group was hit by a series of employee suicides. The Taipei-based company installed safety nets on buildings, raised pay and hired counselors in 2010 after at least 10 workers killed themselves. Apple also commissioned a review by a team of suicide-prevention experts.
<<

They had to put nets on the buildings to catch jumpers?
 
I've never understood why people line up for the first day of anything, consumer product, movie, etc. Seems stupid. I guess people are that way in China too.
 
Everskyward said:
I've never understood why people line up for the first day of anything, consumer product, movie, etc. Seems stupid. I guess people are that way in China too.
Click to expand...

You're only "cool" and "trendy" if you stand outside in 30 degree weather at 3am to get/see the first one. After that, you're just some hipster lemming who's trying to act cool, behind all the cool people who have had/seen the new thing for, like, hours already.

Personally, I don't mind being a lemming; at least I get to sleep past 9am! :yesnod:
 
Teller1900 said:
You're only "cool" and "trendy" if you stand outside in 30 degree weather at 3am to get/see the first one. After that, you're just some hipster lemming who's trying to act cool, behind all the cool people who have had/seen the new thing for, like, hours already.

Personally, I don't mind being a lemming; at least I get to sleep past 9am! :yesnod:
Click to expand...

30 degrees? When I was in Beijing last week it was getting down into the teens at night.

Perhaps Apple didn't understand the cultural issues - queuing is not a strong point in China.
 
Here's a picture of the angry crowd. Oh, and I think I found Waldo!!
 

Attachments

  • g-cvr-120113-china-7a_grid-8x2.jpg
    g-cvr-120113-china-7a_grid-8x2.jpg
    38.3 KB · Views: 22
wsuffa said:
30 degrees? When I was in Beijing last week it was getting down into the teens at night.

Perhaps Apple didn't understand the cultural issues - queuing is not a strong point in China.
Click to expand...
Fair enough. Can't say as I've payed all too much attention to the weather in China over the last week :no::)

Maybe Apple should have shipped in a bunch of Brits to help the queue more efficiently.
 
What I can't figure out is why people show up to a new product debut carrying eggs. Were they expecting problems? :confused:
 
What they fail to mention in the article, is that 90% of the people forcing the violence were well organized teams of scalpers. Yes, teams.

http://9to5mac.com/2012/01/13/no-mo...ns-as-analysts-criticize-china-launch-delays/

Yesterday’s eagerly awaited iPhone 4S launch in China quickly turned into chaos as an ugly brawl between gangs of professional scalpers grew out of control. Beijing SWAT teams intervened to calm down hundreds of angry customers and tame the rowdy lines. The New York Times explained that scalpers hired migrant workers to stand in the line and buy the phone. As Apple said it would not open the store, those individuals, identifiable by matching armbands or hats, got angry because they were not going to be paid.
Click to expand...
 
The hiring of rural people by scalpers promising them food money to stand in line, shows the stark economic inequalities in the world's largest Communist country.

Occupy Wall Street vs Wall Street ain't got nothin' on urban versus rural China.
 
denverpilot said:
The hiring of rural people by scalpers promising them food money to stand in line, shows the stark economic inequalities in the world's largest Communist country.
Click to expand...

Scalpers here hire folks to stand in line or punch keyboards for them. Black markets operate the same round the world.
 
That was my point. We're all the same. The "ain't got nothing on" joke was a little too subtle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top