look news india
As soon as the official sale of Apple’s new flagship smartphone started, the same old and surprising scene was once again seen in the major cities of the country. Outside the official Apple Store in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and New Delhi’s Select Citywalk (Saket) store, there was a rush of customers as if someone was distributing free ration. Tech lovers and die-hard fans of Apple from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Gurugram, Noida, Bengaluru and Chandigarh had secured their places in the queues since last night, 12 to 15 hours before the store opened. Many people came with folding chairs, pillows, water bottles and snacks, so that they could register their names in the list of first customers to buy a new phone in India. As soon as the shutters of the store went up in the morning, security personnel had to erect barricades to control the crowd.
As soon as the videos of these kilometer-long queues outside the Apple Store went viral on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook, internet users were divided into two factions. Most of the users described standing on the road overnight as incomprehensible and unnecessary. A user’s comment is becoming the most viral on social media, in which he wrote, “What kind of irony is this! One has to spend one and a half to two lakh rupees from pocket and then with the money in hand, one has to stand in line on the road the whole night like a beggar.”
Many other users agreed, writing that companies create ‘artificial hype’ and ‘FOMO’ (Fear of Missing Out) through marketing and PR and people put their self-esteem at stake just to post the first unboxing video on social media.
Very sharp and funny memes are being shared on social media about this queer culture:
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Kidney and EMI Jokes: Along with pictures of youth standing in the queue, users wrote the caption, “12 hours wait to sign 36 month no-cost EMI.”
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ration shop vs apple store: Many satirical pictures were shared comparing the lines for kerosene and ration in olden times with the barricades outside the Apple Store.
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Comparison with Quick-Commerce: Many sensible users sarcastically wrote that when quick-commerce apps like Blinkit and Zepto are delivering phones at home in 10 minutes with bank discounts, then standing in queues in the sun and sweat is just a ‘freak for show’.
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Sarcasm on employees’ applause: When dozens of store employees clap to welcome the first customer, users wrote, “They’re not clapping for you buying the phone, but for getting caught in the company’s 60% profit margin strategy.”
India has become the fastest growing market for premium smartphones in the world today. Sociologists and digital analysts believe that in India the iPhone is no longer just a gadget for communication or photography, but has become a ‘status symbol’ and a measure of social prestige. The youth in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities are ready to go to any extent to show themselves at the forefront of technology and trends. Even if the new model has only a minor upgrade in camera or chipset compared to the previous model, the thrill of being the first to stand outside the store waving the new box in hand is like winning a status battle for many people.
Apple’s global marketing strategy has always been based on the feeling of ‘exclusivity’. Rumors of limited stock, controlled crowds outside the store and the presence of media cameras create such a psychological effect that the common consumer feels that if he does not buy this phone immediately, he will be left behind in the race of the modern world. However, the strong reactions coming on the internet indicate that the general public is now becoming more vocal and critical about this consumerist show-off culture.
