Apple Introduces Installment Payment Plan for China Consumers

Star Chang, Jan 20, 2013 12:44 AM, 421 views, Got something to say ?,

Apple introduced installment payment plans for buyers of iPhones and MacBook laptops in China as it struggles to compete with domestic low-cost devices. Payments on purchases costing from 300 yuan to 30,000 yuan (US$48 – $4824) made via the company’s Chinese website can be spread over as long as two years. The plan requires a China Merchants Bank’s credit card. Chinese online customers will be able to split payments into three, six, 12, 18 or 24 installments. Through Jan. 23, choosing 12 or fewer installments carries no fee. A fee of 6.5 percent of the selling price will be charged for 18 installments, and 8.5 percent for 24 installments. Apple is trying to make its products more affordable in China, as the contract free iPhone 5 is priced roughly equal to six weeks’ pay for an average urban worker …

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Watch: Can iPhone 5 Competes in China Smartphone Market

Star Chang, Jan 17, 2013 2:21 PM, 424 views, 1 Comment »,

Apple’s latest iPhone 5 might be a powerhouse globally, fighting Samsung for top rank, but weak distribution and a high price tag are limiting its sales in China, where it’s soon to become the world’s largest smartphone market. Though the iPhone continues to be hugely popular among Chinese consumers, this may not be enough to hold onto the interest of China’s 290 million smartphone users. China is still Apple’s second-largest market, but iPhone sales are losing traction to competition from Samsung, as well as domestic handset makers like Xiaomi. Upstart Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is on track to post $2 billion in sales, with some tricks borrowed from Apple’s playbook. Remember to click the hyperlink at the end of the video to watch the related show: “Can China grow an Apple ? “

World’s Thinnest Phone Side By Side Comparing With Apple’s Thinnest iPhone

Herman Lai, Jan 17, 2013 11:19 AM, 7,635 views, Got something to say ?,

Two months ago, Chinese famous DVD player maker BBK announced Vivo X1, a 6.55mm thin smartphone that took over OPPO Finder as the world’s thinnest smartphone. Today, here is a chance for you to look at the world’s thinnest smartphone meet the thinnest iPhone, and how Vivo X1 rips off iPhone 5’s two-tone back cover.

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This Is How A 7-inch iPhone 5 Would Look Like

Herman Lai, Jan 16, 2013 11:39 AM, 1,638 views, 1 Comment »,

Many people are not pleased with Apple’s iPhone 5 partly because the screen is too small when there are competitors like Samsung Galaxy Note and some other Android handsets with big screen. If you have the same complains, then you can take a look at how this 7-inch Android tablet ripoff iPhone 5’s two-tone design. Don’t expect it to come with impressive specs like quad-core processor, but at least it can make phone calls on GSM/GPRS networks, and it also includes functions like GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth. There’re dual cameras on the device and pre-installed Android 4.0.4. More photos after the break.

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Tim Cook is in China Again to Meet Government Officials

Star Chang, Jan 8, 2013 11:25 PM, 493 views, 1 Comment »,

Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook made his second visit to China in less than 10 months, after almost doubling retail outlets in the communist nation. Cook met the head of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology yesterday to talk about the development of China’s IT industry, global mobile communications and Apple’s business in China. He also met with Gary Locke, the current United States Ambassador to China. It’s not clear what exactly Cook is doing in China this time around and what he might have on his docket …

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China Mobile Needs an IV Drips from Apple

Star Chang, Jan 3, 2013 6:50 PM, 490 views, 3 Comments »,

China Mobile, the largest carrier in China, might be suffering by not offering the latest iPhone 5 to customers. According to Evercore Partners’ analyst, China Mobile’s 3G market share was down 7 percent year over year to end 2012 at 37 percent. The company’s chief competitors, China Telecom and China Unicom, combined for a 7 percent gain to land at 63 percent. Apple has for years been trying to woo China Mobile. The carrier currently has approximately 700 million subscribers across China, dwarfing its closest competitor, China Unicom, which has 236 million subscribers, and creating a potentially huge opportunity for Apple. However, China Mobile and Apple have been unable to come to terms. But for now, the world’s largest mobile phone operator (by subscribers) could be starting to need the iPhone more …

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2012’s Top 10: China’s Most Striking Budget Smartphones Outshine Galaxy S3 And iPhone 5

Herman Lai, Jan 3, 2013 11:15 AM, 10,484 views, Got something to say ?,

The year of 2012, Chinese vendors gifted us many great quality smartphones on budget, allowing Chinese consumers to quit reliance on foreign brands like Samsung and Apple. Besides, some of device makers showed their ambition to go international in 2013. As the tech world is readying to talking about the fresh devices for 2013, it’s the time to sit back and look into the ten major handsets in China of last year. Hope you like it.

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Smart Chinese Girl Sell Hugs Instead of Kidney to Get an iPhone 5 (Video)

Carson Cheung, Dec 28, 2012 1:43 PM, 2,454 views, Got something to say ?,

Chinese youngster have always been a die hard fan of Apple products and they are willing to do anything just to own it. Previously an idiot sold his kidney for an iPad 2, college girl offering sex for iPhone 4s, now we have a girl selling hugs for an iPhone 5. In Xiamen, a major city in southeast China, a strange young girl in black dress and wore a pair of black sunglasses, stood on a busy street, holding a cardboard sign that read “10 yuan for a hug, to collect money for iPhone 5” (which mean you pay US$1.60 for a lady hug). The girl was quickly surrounded by onlookers. In about 10 minutes, three hugged with her and a young man took a picture with her instead as he felt too shy to give her a hug …

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Profit of iPhone 5 Screen Protector Is More Than The Phone

Star Chang, Dec 27, 2012 2:02 PM, 1,672 views, 1 Comment »,

After iPhone 5 recently went on sale in China, retailers of the popular smartphone are relying on accessories for more of their earnings as profits rather than the sale of the phones. A shop assistant at an Apple reseller, claims that mobile phone retailers normally make only 1 percent profit from a single iPhone 5 handset. By selling screen protector, the profit margin is much thicker. The price of an iPhone 5 screen protector in China varies between 20 yuan (US$3.20) to 228 yuan (US$36.60), while the wholesale price of the thin plastic films is around 2.8 yuan (US$0.45) only …

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Chinese Apple’s User Shows Us How to Crook the Aluminum iPhone 5

Carson Cheung, Dec 27, 2012 6:38 AM, 5,295 views, 4 Comments »,

The mighty Apple iPhone 5 has officially gone on sale in mainland China two weeks ago. The iPhone 5 is only 7.6mm thick, which is 1.7mm thinner than the previous iPhone 4s. Due to its relatively long body design, the rigidity seem not as good as the old model. The iPhone 5, which is made of so-called anodized 6000 series aluminum, it’s no stronger than Chinese users’ butt. Chinese netizen “keith512” is the first Apple user to raise up the issue. He put the newly bought iPhone 5 in his back trousers pocket, and it was bent out of shape after he sat down. Luckily the screen is still working, but the nano-sim card slot was damage. The uncommon incident attracted nearly ten thousand web user to share and discuss on Chinese social network …

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