iPhone 5 goes on sale in China, 31 other countries

After months of exciting twists and turns of procedural regulatory examination, the iPhone 5 is now available for sale in China. It's important to remember that China is Apple's second biggest market (after the US, of course), and accounts for an ever-increasing percentage of Apple's revenue.

As The Next Web reports, a snowstorm in Beijing may have reduced the line there, but Engadget reports plenty of iPhone 5 customers in other parts of the country.

In addition to the huge market in China, Apple will be rolling out the iPhone 5 in over 30 more countries today and nearly two dozen more before the end of the year. This is the fastest global distribution for an iPhone yet, a testament to Apple's strong channel efforts and global appeal.