iPhone 17 Launch Draws crowds to Singapore‘s Orchard Road
SINGAPORE – The latest iPhone 17 models were met with cheers and applause at the Apple Store in Orchard road on Sept 18, drawing a sizable crowd eager to get their hands on the new devices.Customers began gathering hours before the store opened, with some receiving wristbands to manage the queue.
The launch comes amid ongoing challenges for Apple, including the impact of US president Donald Trump’s trade policies and associated tariffs. Despite these headwinds, the iPhone 17 prices have remained stable compared to the 2024 models.
Healthcare assistants Thin Thin and Sean, who goes by one name, were among those waiting outside the store around 10pm on Sept 17. While wristbands were distributed, they did not guarantee a product purchase. One customer reported being advised by Apple staff to join the queue around 4am.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook revealed in July that Mr Trump’s tariffs cost the company US$800 million (S$1.02 billion) in the last quarter, with expectations of US$1.1 billion in tariffs this quarter.
(ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI)
Additional reporting by Azmi Athni.
