The first to line up and buy the new iPhone 17 in Makati was a 25-year-old online seller named Charmaine. She saved up for more than three years to buy the phone, which cost almost ₱80,000. But after the news was released on social media, she was immediately criticized by some netizens.
According to Charmaine, this is not a luxury or a boast but an investment for the business. She said the iPhone 17's better camera and video quality are a big help in her online sales. “It's my ROI for the business, not just a splurge,” she added.
Despite many negative comments, he chose to be positive and proud of his decision. “There is an event, there is a community, the experience is fun. It's all worth it,” he said after the overnight queuing.
Charmaine added that she was also happy because she got the same iPhone color as her favorite idol, SEVENTEEN's Mingyu. “We're matchy-matchy, so that makes it more special,” she said with a smile while showing off her phone's wallpaper.