iPhone 8 has timid launch in Asia

Mazen Kourouche was the first to buy the iPhone 8 in the world.(Photo: Reuters)

The launch of Apple's iPhone 8 began with a less lively atmosphere in Asia compared to previous releases, with fans hoping for the top iPhone X lineup that will be released in early November.

Hundreds of people usually gather at the Apple Store in Sydney, with queues around the corner on one of the city's main streets when a new version of the product is released. But this Friday (22) there were less than 30 people in the place before the store opened.

While the number of people queuing in Apple stores has dropped over the years as many opt for online shopping, the weak attendance at the start of the recent iPhone sales is partly due to bad reviews.

The first in the queue was Mazen Kourouche, who spent 11 days outside the store to make a video evaluation of the smartphone on YouTube. For him, there have been modest improvements.

"It's a lot like the iPhone 7, but it takes photos at 4K and 60 frames per second, and it has a new glass coating instead of metal, which makes it seemingly more durable.

In China, a loyal customer of Apple said the improved camera was one of the reasons she bought the new device.

"I waited until midnight to watch the launch event with my boyfriend to learn what's new in this iPhone." His photography function is very good, so I think I should change without hesitation, "said consumer Ta Na , in Shanghai.

Mentions of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X in the popular Chinese social network Weibo, an indicator of consumer interest, were lower than the levels seen in the previous two releases.

Bad reviews on the iPhone 8, released 10 years after the first version of the revolutionary mobile phone, toppled the company's shares for almost two-month lows at $ 152.75 on Thursday as investors worried about the number of orders of the device, much smaller than that of previous releases.

The iPhone 8 will only serve those who want a new version, but do not want to pay $ 999 for the iPhone X, said iTWire technology editor Alex Zaharov-Reutt, who has not lined up for the release.

The iPhone X is a glass and stainless steel device with an endless screen that Apple CEO Tim Cook called "the biggest jump since the original iPhone."

"I think it will be more excited and more people with the iPhone X," said Ray Yokoyama, after buying an iPhone 8 in Tokyo.