Apple's flagship store on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai drew enthusiastic crowds early Friday morning as the iPhone 17 series officially went on sale in China.

By 8 am, a long queue had formed outside the store, with over a hundred customers waiting to collect their pre-ordered devices.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models emerged as the clear favorites among buyers, with many opting for the new orange finish alongside the classic silver one. The strong demand was reflected not only in customer preferences but also in the bustling resale market just outside the store.

A notable presence of scalpers was observed near the store, significantly larger than in previous years. Some scalpers offer premiums of 500 to 600 yuan ($70.3-$84.3) for the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro Max. Other models commanded smaller premiums, typically between 100 and 200 yuan.

Among those in line was a Shanghai-based office worker who shared that he was upgrading from an iPhone 13 to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. "I chose the silver model. I'm a loyal Apple user and really appreciate the iOS system," he said.

masi@chinadaily.com.cn