Sales of the highly anticipated iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in Thailand, buoyed by record-high discounts and promotions offered by mobile operators, have exceeded the expectations of local handset distributors.
The iPhone 7 Plus has seen much higher demand than expected and is difficult to find in stores, thanks to the appeal of dual cameras, the popularity of the Jet Black colour and the problems endured by Samsung's Galaxy Note 7.
Instead of massive lines outside Bangkok's flagship Apple stores as seen in previous handset debuts, only a few people were waiting to buy the new iPhones.
Companies operating in Thailand have temporary suspended their marketing and advertising activities to express sympathy after the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus feature the same 4.7 and 5.5-inch screen sizes, and will be available in three storage configurations: 32 gigabytes, 128GB and 256GB.
Prices of the new iPhone duo with 32GB capacity start at 26,500 and 31,500 baht, respectively.
Total Access Communication (DTAC), the country's second-largest mobile operator, is offering the most attractive discount of 6,000 baht on purchase of one of the new iPhones when customers register a 12-month postpaid mobile service for 899 baht a month.
Customers, who sign up for a 12-month postpaid service for 999 baht a month or over and make a 3,000-baht payment in advance, will get the next iPhone released if they stay in DTAC's network after one year.
Customers migrating from other networks will receive an extra 1,500 baht discount on top of the 6,000-baht discount offering when they register a 599-baht service contract.
True Move is offering a discount of 3,000 baht for customers who sign up for a 699-baht mobile service plan for one year and make a 1,500 baht payment in advance.
Those who sign up for 899 and 1,099 baht tariff plans will get discounts of 6,000 and 8,000 baht for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, respectively. They are required to make a payment of 3,000 and 4,000 baht in advance, respectively.
Mobile leader Advanced Info Service is discounting 2,000 baht for a purchase of an iPhone 7 for registering its prepaid service at 399 baht package for one year.
Nutchanon Boonsorn, associate market analyst of IDC Thailand, said the three major mobile operators are making aggressive moves quietly at this time, and not keeping with tradition where fans queued to be among first in the country to get their hands on the latest iPhone.