In many places around the world, around the first 50 people in line waiting for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus last week appeared to be resellers — looking to make a quick (and relatively easy) buck selling Apple’s next generation iPhone on the gray/black market.
While we definitely noticed the phenomenon, YouTube filmmaker Casey Neistat took his camera out on the streets of New York to interview and film the crowds gathered waiting for the new handsets at various Apple Stores around the city.
“Gone are the spirit and excitement from years past,” Neistat observes. “These lines are now about something else entirely.”
That “something else” is, of course, money, since many of the people shown waiting days for the new iPhone seem to be paid to sit in line by a middle man, who then likely sends the new handset to China or other countries where it is not yet available.
This year, the situation has been seemingly exacerbated by the fact that Chinese authorities have delayed the iPhone 6, saying that Apple needs a special license to sell it, which could result in the handset’s official launch being pushed back to 2015. Neil Shah, an analyst with Counterpoint Research in Mumbai, has estimated that a massive 5 million iPhones could be smuggled into China before the official release.
Other hot Apple markets who have been denied immediate iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices include Russia, India and Italy.
Casey Neistat’s short documentary can be seen below:
Via: iClarified
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
5 responses to “Video shows how black market took over the iPhone 6 lines”
People > Government
You are so right. In both Bath and Bristol (UK) there were teams of Chinese and Pakistani folks – each with one person who could just about translate. Apple clearly anticipated them because when they didn’t have a UK telephone for SMS / smartphone to email their reservations to they were giving out cards with QR codes.
Apple didn’t help things though. They had an electronic reservation system but never bothered working the whole line so that people could go and do something more constructive with their day. There were six staff inside the door whose only job was to whoop and clap. I was told it was their first day and that they couldn’t help process purchases – funny how 5 of them had easy-pay devices. I think Apple wanted the line outside the store. Unfortunately, it was disrespectful of their customers and turned what used to by a somewhat balmy fun event into a clinical bore-fest.
Those police in the video are just bullying scum. It is absolutely no wonder that there is such deep hatred for them. They do nothing for their own public image.
Yeah right, this comes from the silly guy who claimed in 2003 that iPod batteries will only last 18 months. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuTcavAzopg
Right now, there’s no Iphone 6 / 6+ in China or Vietnam (official). The first iphone 6 was sold in Vietnam for 76 million VND (around $3500 USD) and of course many bought at that price. I heard it’s even more expensive in China.