Apple and China Mobile have called off talks to launch the US group's popular iPhone handset to Chinese consumers. Though no explanation was given in China Mobile's statement, there is speculation that the two firms failed to agree on a revenue sharing deal. The news means the iPhone is unlikely to be released in China anytime soon. China Unicom, the country's only other mobile network, said last year that while it had no plans to introduce the iPhone it remained open to the idea. China Mobile has 350 million subscribers - more than the population of the US.
News source: BBC News
News source: BBC News
Is this the same team that let out the iPods with a Windows virus on them?
All they have to do is have a factory crank out a million extra of any product and ta-da: instant, authentic counterfeit goods!
Last edited by GreyWolfSC on 14 Jan 2008 - 17:03
Then why is it happening? There are real iPhones for sale in a lot of stores there (was just in Beijing about a month ago). Where are they coming from then? That's a lot of iPhones to be importing.
Last edited by Neobond on 14 Jan 2008 - 15:03
Now, to actually make my post useful: even if apple went into the chinese market, I doubt many of those 350 millions could afford the price of the phone plus the high monthly cost. The thing most people don't understand about these seemly big emerging markets is that most of this people don't deal with monthly plans, they are mostly prepaid phones with low, sporadic credit.
It could however be a boom in markets such as HK and other wealthy provinces, if only apple wouldn't try to squeeze every possible cent out of it.
Now, to actually make my post useful: even if apple went into the chinese market, I doubt many of those 350 millions could afford the price of the phone plus the high monthly cost. The thing most people don't understand about these seemly big emerging markets is that most of this people don't deal with monthly plans, they are mostly prepaid phones with low, sporadic credit.
It could however be a boom in markets such as HK and other wealthy provinces, if only apple wouldn't try to squeeze every possible cent out of it.
There are lots of very well off people in China, and everyone has a phone. You can't leave the house without seeing lots of N95's in the bigger cities (actually you see a lot of iPhones as well already). If the N95 is doing so well, I'm sure the iPhone would make Apple a lot of money too. They should just release it there without a plan. That's how every other phone is there. They don't lock phones into a plan like they do here. Apple has to accept this. Every market is not like North America where they can force people to pay through the nose with these plans.
Which means . . . Chinese black market for iPhones.
I could drive to Toronto to Pmall and buy an iPhone, even though it's not directly from Apple.
That's the politest way of saying "Apple was too greedy to reach a deal" I've ever read.
Note to Apple: Deals like this need to be *mutually* beneficial... not just Steve Jobs-beneficial. And saying that the Chinese market gets the "privilege" of buying an iPhone doesn't count.
Last edited by MulletRobZ on 15 Jan 2008 - 02:38
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