San Francisco

IN the country Apple Inc calls its most important overseas market, only 14 people lined up outside its store in Beijing on Friday to get their first peek at the company's new smartwatch.

The low-key reaction in the Chinese capital contrasts with previous device premieres, where crowds hundreds deep lined up and some people threw eggs at store windows when iPhones weren't available. It also contrasts with scenes in Tokyo and Sydney, where people waited for hours to get their hands on the wearable computer.