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ASUS sold so many ROG Phone 2s so fast it had to apologize
After going hands-on with the ROG Phone 2, we knew it was something special. Yet we didn’t know how consumers would react to it. It seems we now have something of an answer, at least as far as Chinese fans are concerned.
According to a post on the official ROG Weibo page (via Gizchina), the company sold more than 10,000 ROG Phone 2 units in just 73 seconds during its first sale yesterday. There will be several flash sales during the ROG Phone 2’s initial launch period in China.
The sale depleted the company’s entire stock for the device, and as ASUS said it had taken 2.5 million reservations for the ROG Phone 2, some fans weren’t able to pick the device up during the time.
In a statement, ASUS apologized to those customers who couldn’t get the phone first time around but said it would do its best to “increase production capacity” for future sales. These are scheduled for August 4, August 7, and August 12.
Why is the ROG Phone 2 so popular?
Smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi have often boasted about selling tens or even hundreds of thousands of phones in mere minutes — selling 10,000 units in 73 seconds isn’t unheard of. That said, those numbers are impressive when considering the phone in question.
The ROG Phone 2 is aimed predominately at a hardcore gaming crowd with features like a 120Hz display and an optional clip-on gamepad. It also looks odd compared to typical flagship phones and it’s bigger than most phones (with a 6.6-inch display plus bezels).
Add to this a 5,999 yuan (~$873) price tag in China and you’ve got a phone which you’d expect would only appeal to a niche market and see comparatively weak sales. Yet the ROG Phone 2 has come out of the gates strong.
We’ll keep an eye on the second sale to see if ASUS can keep up the momentum for its latest gaming phone and you can read our ROG Phone 2 hands-on at the link.
Are you surprised to hear the ROG Phone 2 is selling fast? Or did you expect it, given the phone’s potential? Let me know in the comments.