Lenovo says Apple is missing out in China, curtains off Shanghai store
The chairman of PC maker Lenovo said this week that Apple doesn't care about China because Steve Jobs has a "bad temper," while Apple has taken the wraps off of the grand entrance to its forthcoming Shanghai retail store.
Lenovo is 'lucky' Apple doesn't compete in China
Lenovo Chairman Liu Chuanzhi believes that Apple is missing a huge opportunity in the Chinese market, according to the Financial Times. He said his company is "lucky" that Apple doesn't compete, as it would likely be to Lenovo's detriment.
"We are lucky that Steve Jobs has such a bad temper and doesn't care about China," Chuanzhi reportedly said. "If Apple were to spend the same effort on the chinese consumer as we do, we would be in trouble."
Lenovo recently launched its LePhone designed specifically for Chinese consumers. The chairman said he believes his handset had an advantage because of that localization. He also praised Jobs, calling him a "genius."
The Times noted that Apple's products are desirable in China, but there is limited availability due to a small number of retail options.
Shanghai store to open this Saturday
This Saturday, Apple will hold a grand opening for its new flagship store in Shanghai, China. For weeks now, the megastore has been hidden behind red curtains pictured on its massive glass storefront. But this week, they were removed to reveal its exterior.
AppleInsider reader Matthew Lesh sent in photos he took of the cover being removed from the store's entrance in preparation for the grand opening. The cylindrical glass structure serves as the entrance to the store, which is located underneath and accessed via staircase.
White iPhone 4 unboxed
Finally, Chris Chang of MIC Gadget sent along photos of Apple's forthcoming white iPhone 4, in and out of its box. The box looks identical to the packaging for the black iPhone 4, except the pictured hardware on the front includes the white glass front and back.
In June, just before the iPhone 4 launched, Apple announced that the white model will not arrive until late July. The company said the device proved "more challenging to manufacture than expected," forcing the delay.
The pictures of the handset show holes above the earpiece that are not found on the already released black model. These are likely to allow the handset's proximity sensor to work through the colored glass.
Lenovo is 'lucky' Apple doesn't compete in China
Lenovo Chairman Liu Chuanzhi believes that Apple is missing a huge opportunity in the Chinese market, according to the Financial Times. He said his company is "lucky" that Apple doesn't compete, as it would likely be to Lenovo's detriment.
"We are lucky that Steve Jobs has such a bad temper and doesn't care about China," Chuanzhi reportedly said. "If Apple were to spend the same effort on the chinese consumer as we do, we would be in trouble."
Lenovo recently launched its LePhone designed specifically for Chinese consumers. The chairman said he believes his handset had an advantage because of that localization. He also praised Jobs, calling him a "genius."
The Times noted that Apple's products are desirable in China, but there is limited availability due to a small number of retail options.
Shanghai store to open this Saturday
This Saturday, Apple will hold a grand opening for its new flagship store in Shanghai, China. For weeks now, the megastore has been hidden behind red curtains pictured on its massive glass storefront. But this week, they were removed to reveal its exterior.
AppleInsider reader Matthew Lesh sent in photos he took of the cover being removed from the store's entrance in preparation for the grand opening. The cylindrical glass structure serves as the entrance to the store, which is located underneath and accessed via staircase.
White iPhone 4 unboxed
Finally, Chris Chang of MIC Gadget sent along photos of Apple's forthcoming white iPhone 4, in and out of its box. The box looks identical to the packaging for the black iPhone 4, except the pictured hardware on the front includes the white glass front and back.
In June, just before the iPhone 4 launched, Apple announced that the white model will not arrive until late July. The company said the device proved "more challenging to manufacture than expected," forcing the delay.
The pictures of the handset show holes above the earpiece that are not found on the already released black model. These are likely to allow the handset's proximity sensor to work through the colored glass.
Comments
(If they have sufficient quanity to sell!)
I respect Chuanzhi for his candidness, but it sounds much like a dare and one that is already on its way of happening with this known store and increase Apple product sales in China.
Here comes yet another sales surge...
(If they have sufficient quanity to sell!)
At least shipping with be faster and more cost efficient.
At least shipping with be faster and more cost efficient.
?????
?????
Foxconn, Shenzhen, China to Apple Store, Shanghai, China
Anyway!!!!!!
Now watch for Apple's stock to sore to close to $400.00 especially with iad on the iphone and soon the ipad.
Sorry Google! Your a** is grass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what is Lenovo? - never heard of it
Kind of the way Creative was 'lucky' that Apple didn't sell MP3 players. Back in 2001.
We'll see how lucky Lenovo is in about 5 years.
I suspect "bad temper" = unwillingness to customize Apple devices and services to accommodate China's censorship of information.
Soon enough he'll come to see that Apple's drinking Lenovo's milkshake, but just easiest to get and most profitable part of it.
Anyone wanna bet the China store opening is why the iPhone 4 still has a 3 week lead time?
No...
Foxconn, Shenzhen, China to Apple Store, Shanghai, China
Oh, I thought you were referring to the white iP4s.
How does the chinese iPhone compared to the "real" one, is it still somewhat crippled?
I believe so. But the legal shackles have been removed, so I would expect the next iPhone released in the PRC will be a "normal" one.
I don't think there is as huge a market for Apple products in China as everyone seems to think. Not for a while anyway. Apple products are just too high end for all but the most affluent Chinese. I see them hitting a few big cities hard (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc.) There are plenty of affluent people in those locations to support Apple infrastructure, but probably not enough elsewhere.
Symbolism, perhaps?
So on first glance it appears that because Apple is missing out in China, Lenovo curtained off (screened off) the Lenovo Shanghai store. I guess a semicolon rather than a comma would have helped!
Exactly my reaction to seeing the headline...Lenovo curtained off a store? Huh?
“My theory is that a manager needs to be the string on which he puts one pearl after another. But Jobs himself is a big pearl.”
--- did he just call Steve Jobs a pearl necklace!?!!
I've been to China a few times pre-iPhone launch there and when I showed folks my iPod touch and later iPhone many wanted it and said Apple is highly thought of there, because they symboloze American success and innovation. I did see a couple iPhones there, but guessing folks got 'em from HK, and was offered a fake iPhone on the street, but I just kept walking.
I feel Apple has the interest there, but need to make it easier to get products and although the Chinese middle-class is growing fast a lot of people still can't afford them, so they go with the cheaper homegrown items they are familiar with and trust. Of course many can and do buy Apple, I'm just talking about the avg buyer or lower income buyer. That's my 2cents.