iPhone 16 Launch Draws Large Crowds in Thailand

BANGKOK, Sept 20 (TNA) - Apple's iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro officially went on sale in Thailand on Friday, with eager customers lining up at stores across the country to be among the first to get their hands on the new devices.

At the Apple Store in IconSiam, a Vietnamese customer was the first in line, having arrived in the early morning hours. The Central World branch saw particularly high enthusiasm. The honor of receiving the first iPhone 16 in Thailand went to a Myanmar national working in the country, who had pre-ordered the device and chose to pick it up at the Central World branch at 8 a.m.

Long queues formed at various retail locations, including AIS and True-Dtac stores, as well as authorized resellers like iStudio. 

The iPhone 16 series, touted as Apple's first smartphone designed specifically for artificial intelligence or "Apple Intelligence," allows users to generate text and images with ease using AI-powered suggestions.

However, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that pre-orders during the first weekend reached about 37 million units, down 12.7% compared to the iPhone 15 launch. The decline is primarily attributed to lower demand for the Pro models, as Apple Intelligence is currently only available in English, affecting demand in markets like China where competitors offer AI services in the local language.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 16 began on Friday, September 13, in over 58 countries, including Thailand. Despite the slight dip in initial orders, the launch day turnout in Thailand demonstrates continued strong interest in Apple's latest offering. -819 (TNA)