From the daily archives: Saturday, July 31, 2010

iPhone 4 has already reached Singapore and is available in all Telcos on 30th July 2010. Tech65 is lucky to be invited by SingTel to attend the media event. Since this is island wide launch, we will try to cover how different telco organise to cater to Apple iPhone 4 supporters and their loyal customers.

We arrived at our first destination at Paragon at M1 iPhone 4 launch, there is a huge crowd queuing around Paragon.  M1 has organised well in arranging their queue system. There is mecce, live band and some dance performances for the huge crowd of about 500 customers or more, mainly at the open area.

M1 - Queue

M1 - Queue

M1 - Dance Entertainment

M1 - Dance Entertainment

Moving on into Paragon where the early birds settle for comfort in the cooling air-condition place.

M1 - Stairs into Paragon

M1 - Stairs into Paragon

M1 - Inside Paragon Queue

M1 - Inside Paragon Queue

It is a petty that their customer is unable to get the best of both worlds. Early birds gets to enjoy the air-con but without entertainment and the rest of the customers gets to enjoy the live band and entertainment but suffering from the humid warm air. It is still pretty well arrange.

Next, we arrived at Plaza Singapura Starhub iPhone 4 launch, it is unusually quiet. We are expecting a large crowd queuing up for the iPhone 4 launch but it looks pretty empty. It is iPhone 4 launch and how can it be so quiet?  We thought we got the location wrong.

Starhub - Private Event

Starhub - Private Event

As we were checking out, we managed to spot a queuing area in a dim corner, and there are about 100 persons in the queue. As replied from Starhub personnel, only invited customers were called for the private event and were asked to come at different time slot.

Starhub - Queue spotted

Starhub - Queue spotted

Starhub - Starting and ending of queue

Starhub - Starting and ending of queue

In my opinion, Plaza Singapura has such a big open space and Starhub is not making full use of it to make perhaps a resting place or some entertainment for their loyal supporters.

Anyway, we took a bus to Marina Bay Sands for SingTel iPhone 4 Launch. When we arrived, it seems like there aren’t many people (but we were wrong). According to the spoke person, this is the later batch of the queue. At least they are seated in a cooling area.

SingTel - Later batch queue

SingTel - Later batch queue

As we proceed into the main arena, there is a verification booth to verify that attendees are the invited customers and they will be given a queue number. After that they can enter the arena and visit any iPhone 4 SingTel personnel and enquire more features of iPhone 4. There is also a 24 hours live band as well as a accessories booth where they can purchase screen protector, iPhone 4 casing, etc.

SingTel - Verification booth (on the left)

SingTel - Verification booth (on the left)

SingTel - In the Arena

SingTel - In the Arena

As the waiting time is very long, SingTel has also prepared drinks and nice comforting seating area for them.

SingTel - Resting area for customers and supporters

SingTel - Resting area for customers and supporters

SingTel - Live band

SingTel - Live band

The live band even played piano on iPhone 4, which is wonderful.

I feel that SingTel has done a good job for iPhone 4 launch. It is very well plan and SingTel really value their customers. My initial thought of going to Marina Bay Sands is very negative as it is pretty far and inaccessible without a transport especially when it is a mid night launch. However when I entered into the arena, I feel that it definitely worth the trip.

From speaking with one of the staff, he said SingTel choose Marina Bay Sands to prepare themselves from the rain.

Speaking of the rain, it is raining heavily yesterday morning. I hope M1 and Starhub had secondary plans for their customers queuing.

To find out more on iPhone 4 launch by SingTel, M1 and Starhub, stay tune to tech65.org video cast for the full coverage of all telcos for iPhone launch.

Check out my youtube for some of the live band performances or my facebook iPhone 4 launches gallery.

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