Apple's iPhone 17 lineup launches globally with long lines

Long lines formed across cities on Friday as the iPhone 17 officially launched in retail stores globally, with buyers showing up early in places like Beijing and Singapore.

The launch follows a preorder window that opened on September 12 in the U.S., but the international release carries more weight for Apple, which is dealing with falling smartphone market share in China and delays in its promised AI rollout.

At Apple’s flagship store in Sanlitun, Beijing, a man named Liu showed up at 11 p.m. Thursday to be first in line for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Liu said he switched from Huawei, calling the iPhone better for daily life and entertainment.

He also said the new color and outer shell were the main reasons he came early, adding, “The phone feels cooler, and it doesn’t heat up like before.” Apple claims the redesign helps reduce overheating. Friday’s launch also included the iPhone 17 Pro, the lighter iPhone Air, the new Apple Watch, and AirPods with updated features.

Buyers in China and Singapore push demand for redesigned models

Another buyer in Beijing, Yang, said he previously used a Xiaomi but waited for the new iPhone because he prefers its operating system.

Both Liu and Yang said more people around them are likely to switch to iPhones this year, mostly for the improved internal storage. After years of leading in China, Apple now controls just 10% of the market, trailing brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.

Early sales data shows momentum. JD.com, one of China’s top online retailers, reported that the first minute of iPhone 17 preorders beat the entire first day of iPhone 16 preorders last year. That’s a rare spike for Apple in China, where local competitors have been taking market share fast.

In Singapore, which is a smaller but high-income market, the reaction looked similar. Crowds showed up at Marina Bay mall, where Iman Isa and Daniel Muhamed Nuv waited hours before the store opened.

They both bought iPhone 17 Pros, saying it was their first upgrade in years. They pointed to better battery life, a cleaner design, and a stronger camera system.

Further down at the Orchard outlet, lines stretched even longer. The store had to split customers into two queues — one for walk-ins, another for people who preordered.

And they weren’t just after iPhones. Buyers also came for the AirPods Pro 3, now with a live translation feature that drew attention from multilingual users and frequent travelers.

Le Xuan Chiew, a research manager at Omdia, said early demand for the iPhone 17 has exceeded expectations, especially for the base model. The launch price didn’t go up from last year, even though the new phones come with more storage. That decision helped boost demand in price-sensitive regions.

Apple delays AI rollout as pressure builds

The global response to the iPhone 17 launch might be strong, but Apple’s challenges around AI haven’t gone away. The company started promising advanced artificial intelligence features last year but has since delayed them to 2026. Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, told CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe that Apple needs to stop stalling. “There is no question that Apple needs to deliver on AI,” Ben said. “They dropped the ball last year.”

Apple has yet to present a solid AI product to match what’s being offered by other major players. Crypto users, developers, and power users across Asia and Europe are watching closely, especially since they rely heavily on devices that can integrate AI tools for real-time functions and blockchain apps.

Despite the lack of progress, Ben believes the company has some breathing room. “Apple has to catch up in AI,” he said, “but right now, I think they’ve got enough runway to be able to cope in the intervening period.”

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