Apple's new iPad finally made its debut in China on Friday, July 20, in a quiet, low-key event, devoid of all the chaos surrounding previous Apple product launches in the country. While previous launches drew crowds of enthusiasts waiting overnight in long lines, while scalpers snagged premium spots at the front of the line, the iPad's debut was a whole different story.

There were roughly 40 customers waiting quietly in line on Friday morning outside the Apple store in the high-end Sanlitun shopping district in Beijing. The doors opened two hours earlier than usual, at 8 a.m., and there were no incidents whatsoever.

"I'm very surprised that there is no line," Sun Xufei, who was the first in line at the Apple Store in Shanghai's Lujiazui, told Reuters. "I thought there was going to be a long line so I came over a bit earlier to pick it up."

Truth be told, such a quiet, civilized launch is nothing like the standard launches of popular Apple products in China. While previous launch events plagued Apple's product debuts with chaotic scenes and riots, Friday's event seemed from another world, bearing no resemblance to those incidents.

In order to ensure there is no chaos this time, Apple introduced a pre-sale reservation system requiring all customers to register their interest to purchase before actually being able to buy the flagship device. Considering that there were no long lines and no chaos, the reservation system seems to be a success. Moreover, the company went even further and restricted "scalpers," i.e. people who buy in bulk and resell independently to make a profit.

According to The Next Web, Apple will continue to offer the iPad on a reservation-only basis indefinitely. Customers interested in the new iPad can reserve the device daily in the morning, and will receive a pickup time for the following day or later. This way, there is no need to stay in line, wait outside the shop or get angry because there are too many people in front of you. You simply go when scheduled, pick up the device and enjoy.

The company's move for a more organized launch comes after the infamous iPhone 4S launch back in January, when one of the company's flagship stores in Beijing was egged by a riotous crowd of angry fans. Police eventually had to seal off part of the mall because of restless customers and numerous scalpers, forcing Apple to temporarily stop selling the smartphone.

Apple currently has two retail stores in Beijing, three in Shanghai, and one in Hong Kong, as well as a network of authorized resellers. In addition, Chinese government officials said the company is due to open two more flagship stores in the major cities of Shenzhen and Chengdu.

The new iPad's debut in China comes less than three weeks after the Cupertino, California-based tech giant agreed to pay $60 million to settle a legal dispute with Shenzhen-based Proview Technology over the iPad trademark in the country.