New iPad Hits China on Friday – Will the Usual Chaos Ensue?

There is one enormous question floating around China’s technology community – will Apple be able to launch the new iPad without the usual scenes of unmitigated chaos? Of course, there is little to no doubt as to the impending success story to follow the launch of the third-generation iPad, but whether or not the local authorities will once again be involve remains to be seen.

New iPad Hits China on Friday – Will the Usual Chaos Ensue?

Scenes of Chaos

When Apple brought the iPhone 4S to China back in January this year, enormous queues snaked outside the company’s official store in Beijing a full 48 hours before its scheduled release. Unfortunately, the store did not in fact swing its doors open on release day as had been expected, which led to the building being defaced and pelted with eggs, resulting in the police having to be called in to calm and disperse the throbbing mass of angry Apple-devotees.

Following the incident, the iPhone 4S was removed from sale temporarily across all four of Apple’s official stores in China.

History Repeating

This was however far from an isolated incident, as if you cast your mind back to May last least you might remember similar scenes when the existing iPhone 4 was launched in a white variant. Such was the demand for this simple color change that one of Apple’s stores in China was the scene of several violent scuffles with staff and even a broke windows.

History seemed doomed to repeat itself once again, though it appears on this occasion Apple may have finally taken stock of the situation and is favoring a different strategy. According to the official announcement which confirmed the launch of the new iPad in China, all buyers looking to secure the device will have to reserve theirs in advance online, so as to be allocated a specific time to collect the item in person at their desired store.

Demand Unknown

Of course, it remains to be seen how many choose not to heed the message and instead turn up on the day to try their luck in person, along with how many will attempt to secure as many new iPads as possible for resale once the inevitable stock shortages come into effect.

That being said, little research has thus far been carried out across the China region with regard to how much demand there is for the new iPad, therefore the expected scenes of chaos may not in fact occur at all.

The same cannot be said should the iPad Mini release go ahead as expected later this year, as rumor has it that the idea of a smaller, more affordable tablet from Apple has already attracted attention on a scale the likes of which no current iOS device has come close to.

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