The iPhone 4S was the final Apple product touched by Steve Jobs before he passed.
Let’s face it, when Apple announced the iPhone 4S two months ago, some people were disappointed.
Fair enough. People were expecting the announcement of the "iPhone 5", not a update to the existing iPhone 4. But the untimely passing of the Apple supremo was enough to propel the 4S to legendary status.
Enough was written about the new features of the iPhone 4S, so I won’t delve into detail about how the improved processor is twice as fast, how smart the software has become and how much the new 8MP camera kicks ass.
I will, however, write about the glitz, the glamour, the queue and craziness surrounding the midnight launch of the iPhone 4S at KLCC last Friday by Maxis.
Me wearing black long-sleeve top and jeans as tribute to Steve.
Queues that stretched from one end of the KL Convention Centre to another. This, despite the fact that competing telcos are also launching the Apple iPhone 4S on the same night, though without the similar amount of fanfare as Maxis.
The first 40 early-bird subscribers. Some people took the day off on Thursday just to be the among the firsts to queue up.
Natalie from hitz.FM entertaining guests all night long.
…
Wait, that sounded wrong.
On standby since 3pm.
Despite it being a long night for Maxis employees, they are still looking so upbeat.
Maxis employee handouts, telling them their shifts end at 5am.
At the press conference, the CEO of Maxis re-iterated that he is unfazed by competition.
Other telcos may be launching the same product on the same night, but he was convinced that only Maxis is capable of bringing out the best of the iPhone 4S.
Since the iPhone 4S uses a lot of internet data to power things like iMessage and SIRI, Maxis built their data network to become the largest and fastest in the whole of Malaysia.
Click to see Maxis iValue plans.
I use less than 1GB data on my iPhone 4 every month, so I’m happy with iValue 1. By signing up for a 24 month contract, an iPhone 4S 16GB costs just RM1,450.
That’s RM1,000 off the price quoted by the parallel importers at Low Yat. Not bad.
No wonder the queue outside was so long.
As the stroke of midnight drew closer, the camera army began gathering outside the payment area, waiting to capture the moment the first Maxis customers purchasing their brand new iPhone 4S.
Seriously. The only other time you would see these much photographers gathering is when there are lingerie models at a car show.
At midnight, the first iPhone 4S customer walked in to loud cheers and high-fives by the CEO of Maxis and his entire team. The expression on his face is like "WTF?"
Maxis, making every iPhone launch a party since 2009.
An 8-month pregnant lady was among the first 40 people to get the iPhone 4S.
Talk about priorities, man!
60 payment booths are open to accommodate half a kilometre long of people queuing up to buy the iPhone 4S.
The VIPs, corporate guests and Media have their own separate area with free-flowing drinks, alcohol, food and an over-enthusiastic DJ to make the waiting much less painful than those queuing outside.
Henry Golding and Elaine Daly hosting the VIP Party.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a TV host, radio announcer or blogger, every has to wait for their turn to lay their hands on the Apple iPhone 4S. There ain’t no special treatment.
The vivacious model/actress/TV host Julie Woon.
Radio announcer JJ from hitz.FM also came dressed as a tribute to Steve Jobs. (Or maybe that’s what he wears everyday.)
JJ was there to upgrade his 2-year-old iPhone 3GS to the new iPhone 4S. I can tell even he was surprised at such a grand reception at the launch.
"Mannnn…. all these for a PHONE?!" he exclaimed.
A wait is still a wait. Although I was in the VIP waiting area, I never got my hands on the iPhone 4S that night.
According to my ticket, there was still 50+ people ahead of me at 2am and I was just too knackered to continue waiting. I left without the iPhone 4S, but at least I had yummy free-flowing beer.
The much-anticipated SIRI personal assistant was downplayed by Maxis at the launch. SIRI is great, but it is not 100% perfect. In the US, Apple jumped the gun when they launched it, leading to a series of silly SIRI responses well-documented in a hilarious blog called shitthatsirisays.tumblr.com
Maxis learnt from that lesson and explained that they didn’t want to over-hype SIRI when it is still technically in beta stage.
My guess is that Apple knew SIRI is not perfect. But they launched it anyway.
At this very moment, Apple gotta be collecting billions of voice samples and their crazy requests from people all over the world through SIRI, analysing them and creating a bigger, better voice recognition system to rule them all. What the Apple iPhone 4S has right now is an appetizer for bigger, more awesome things to come.
Yes, iPhone 4S has SIRI. It is there and it works. But it is in beta. Just don’t expect a "personal assistant" when it is more a "voice-controlled toy".
With or without SIRI, the iPhone 4S is still an awesome phone: Faster processor, better camera, longer battery life.
And with Maxis and iPhone 4S both supporting high speed 14.4Mbps HSDPA, the fastest iPhone ever is in your hands.
wow.. Everyone changed to Iphone4s edy!
Wish I was there to join in the party. ๐
Hey Kenny, nice write up on the 4s launch . Cheers and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you.
All the best from Abu Dhabi ๐
I saw only a few of the crowd pictures in the paper i thought it was fine. now, i see even more crowd pictures.. crazy T_T i thought economy is bad..
envy.. >.
4S has a shorter battery life than the 3GS. Tried and proven, with a week-old iPhone 4S and 1-yr++ iPhone 3GS..
no other VIPs pict for us to see?=/
Is this a blog or a glorified advertisement??? I came here to have fun and laugh at your witty humor but it changed drastically this past few years, all i see is ADVERTS ADVERTS AND MORE ADVERTS. Sorry Kenny im done with this blog, you just lost another reader.
Sry, for me iphone4s is good but samsung galaxy note is better…. i just sold my iphone4s for samsung galaxy note and i never regret it….
seriously what makes Iphone 4s so special until all these thousand of people are queuing up just for a phone. Talking about performance wise, Samsung. Talking about OS, is IOS5 the best OS in the industry? How about SIRI? Such voice recognition system has been widely used in android phone years ago. Anyway, just personal opinion, no offense ๐
Nick you cee-bai, you sound like a 10 year old hahahaha… grow up dude and dont worry, mummy will give you your baby milk bottle very soon, ok? ok? ok or not? kwaaaaiiiiii….
Hey Chairman Meow, whats the problem with me posting my opinion about this blog. I am a fan of this blog for a few years already, But too much adverts makes kenny sia looks like a sellout and it is really disappointing. Kenny Sia,if you are reading this please change back to your old self before!!!
FYI, CHAIRMAN MEOW your comments reflect your mental age , and i suppose you have never seen a “CEE-BAI” you pathetic loser
asslicker cunt!!!!
Thanks for featuring me in your blog but honestly, what’s up with the “talk about priorities man”? Whatever do you mean? Should i be sitting at home whining over my backpain and etc? Can’t a pregnant woman queue up and get her phone like everyone else?
yeah man, whats up with that? plain rude. i suggest you apologise to her. remove the quote and be the gentleman that you are. thanks buddy.
Hey mama. hahahaha.
It was a joke! come on. Why so serious!
Why so sensitive?
a joke? very funny. my “mother” would be smart enough not to make that kind of joke but then again, you are what you are.
KANINA people take your ….picture still wan to complain meh
I’m what I am? Of cour?se I am. I don’t want to be as brainless as you!
What do you want him to write?
“stupid dumbass mom queuing to get iPhone instead of resting at home. Phone more important than baby’s safety”
Your mom can make a better joke? Come!
???!
Hey to the guy above, you are a low life fuck and is not considered a man. For picking a fight with a pregnant mother, i suggest that you crawl back into your mother’s vagina. Or maybe grow some balls and a brain. Also you could be some diehard kennysia supporter or kenny sia himself either way calling a woman those kind of names,shows that you do not respect women. I bet my EPF that you must be some kind of fat loser virgin sitting behind the computer screen all day monitoring the comments.
Hey to the prick above. Feeling the prick from me? You must have the key to your mama’s cheebai, easy access to your mom’s hole. I really dont know how to crawl into a cheebai. What picking fight? This is called constructive argument. Don’t wanna fight with a prego lady. Why so sensitive? Your wife isit?
Your epf? No thanks. You wouldn’t wanna lose your hard earned $100 monthly epf for this kinda bet, then again you’re pretty correct in saying I’m fucking free to monitor comments because I’m really that free. And I’m looking at 3 monitors right now. Also , please tell your mom, I’ve had enough of her begging for sex. I think she’s too fat innit! If it is not because of me, you wouldnt have enough money to reply to my comments. I got you your first computer you ungrateful prick! Damn!!
Nice post ๐
Its February and you haven’t post any single post in 2012? Way to go! This blog is officially dead.
Kenny,
We used to support you so much, and we voted you to win the Nuffnang Award although we KNOW CLEARLY that you actually don’t really deserve it (as you almost give up blogging nowadays). But, you shouldn’t misuse our trust and loyalty on you and this blog to win the award, then don’t care about us anymore. I don’t believe that you are THAT busy.
last post ; kenny advertising x
2nd last : kenny advertising y
3rd last : kenny advertising himself
the last time i will read this blog
This blog sucks man, we were always there for you when you needed us. But you seem to have forgotten those who have supported you Kenny!!! Plus your annoying asslickers bullying people on the comments here, is a reflection of what this blog is slowly degenerating. KENNY SIA FAILLLLL!!!!
No, Steve Jobs did not involve in iPhone 4S design. His final touch was on iPhone 5. It’s reported everywhere.
eh?? your previous to last comment says that you are not coming back to this blog, and here you are again. Haiyo. True CHEEEBAI you are. Yes yes.
If only iPhone 4s looks much better than iPhone 4 then I would think it’s worth it to buy one. Siri is quite overrated, but really interesting and funny! haha!
It’s nice that you were wearing the black shirt in tribute to Steve Jobs. Looks really nice on you. =)
Is this blog still alive or dead?
kennysia is dead. no longer able to post something on this blog…:((
WTF. Get a life. Losers. Malaysian are suckers for 2nd rate launches… jeez… get a life people. Damnit.
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