Apple's iPhone 4S cleared for sale in China, expected to arrive in December
Chinese regulators have issued the final permit required for Apple to launch the iPhone 4S in the country, with wireless operator China Unicom hoping to begin selling the device by the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Update: A new report claims that the MIIT network permit may actually be for the 8GB iPhone 4, as noted by Penn Olson. Insiders from China Unicom have allegedly told Sina Tech that the iPhone 4S is still awaiting approval.
MIC Gadget reports that China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued the necessary network access permit for the iPhone 4S earlier this week.
According to the report, the Cupertino, Calif., company's latest handset received a certificate valid for three years. The permit was believed to have been the last obstacle for Apple.
In response to the news, China Unicom said it expects to launch the device by the end of the month. The carrier reportedly estimates the 16GB iPhone 4S will cost 4,999 yuan ($786) off contract.
The company revealed in late November that it had already finished preparations for the iPhone 4S and was simply awaiting the final permit from the government.
Financial analysts have indicated that their estimates of 28 million iPhone units shipped in the fourth quarter of calendar 2011 will see a strong upside if Apple manages to launch the iPhone 4S in the world's most populous country by the end of the quarter. According to Apple, there are already 7,000 points of sale for its smartphone in the country.
Source: MIC Gadget.
As for Greater China, the iPhone 4S arrived in Hong Kong to frenzied crowds in November. The handset is set to launch in Taiwan on Dec. 16. Apple has been on a tear in the region as of late. The company saw record sales of $4.5 billion there last quarter, making it the company's second-largest market in terms of revenue.
Chief Executive Tim Cook said during a recent quarterly earnings call that progress in China, which recently surpassed the U.S. to become the world's largest smartphone market, has been "amazing" and offers continued promise of "enormous opportunity" for the company. According to one survey, Apple is now seen as the leading smartphone brand in China, with consumer purchase intentions roughly 4.5 times the device's current market share.
Update: A new report claims that the MIIT network permit may actually be for the 8GB iPhone 4, as noted by Penn Olson. Insiders from China Unicom have allegedly told Sina Tech that the iPhone 4S is still awaiting approval.
MIC Gadget reports that China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued the necessary network access permit for the iPhone 4S earlier this week.
According to the report, the Cupertino, Calif., company's latest handset received a certificate valid for three years. The permit was believed to have been the last obstacle for Apple.
In response to the news, China Unicom said it expects to launch the device by the end of the month. The carrier reportedly estimates the 16GB iPhone 4S will cost 4,999 yuan ($786) off contract.
The company revealed in late November that it had already finished preparations for the iPhone 4S and was simply awaiting the final permit from the government.
Financial analysts have indicated that their estimates of 28 million iPhone units shipped in the fourth quarter of calendar 2011 will see a strong upside if Apple manages to launch the iPhone 4S in the world's most populous country by the end of the quarter. According to Apple, there are already 7,000 points of sale for its smartphone in the country.
Source: MIC Gadget.
As for Greater China, the iPhone 4S arrived in Hong Kong to frenzied crowds in November. The handset is set to launch in Taiwan on Dec. 16. Apple has been on a tear in the region as of late. The company saw record sales of $4.5 billion there last quarter, making it the company's second-largest market in terms of revenue.
Chief Executive Tim Cook said during a recent quarterly earnings call that progress in China, which recently surpassed the U.S. to become the world's largest smartphone market, has been "amazing" and offers continued promise of "enormous opportunity" for the company. According to one survey, Apple is now seen as the leading smartphone brand in China, with consumer purchase intentions roughly 4.5 times the device's current market share.
Comments
Chinese regulators have issued the final permit required for Apple to launch the iPhone 4S in the country,
It is good to see that Apple is able to play ball with the Reds. That will add to their profits.
But will Apple's slave labor be able to afford an iPhone?
It is good to see that Apple is able to play ball with the Reds. That will add to their profits.
But will Apple's slave labor be able to afford an iPhone?
It's called Capitalism, Joe. Maybe you've heard of it?
It is good to see that Apple is able to play ball with the Reds. That will add to their profits.
But will Apple's slave labor be able to afford an iPhone?
I know some countries have a maximum salary per job title and if you pay more then that you face a fine plus jail time, I know this because it happened to me, first occurrence they give you a warning, so I choose to close my business and move back to the US.
I know some countries have a maximum salary per job title and if you pay more then that you face a fine plus jail time, I know this because it happened to me, first occurrence they give you a warning, so I choose to close my business and move back to the US.
Are you claiming that Apple pays slave wages in order to avoid going to jail?
And here I was, thinking it was so that Wall Street could rake in oversized profits.
Chief Executive Tim Cook said during a recent quarterly earnings call that progress in China, which recently surpassed the U.S. to become the world's largest smartphone market, has been "amazing" and offers continued promise of "enormous opportunity" for the company.
I believe the correct term is "ginormous opportunity"
I'm in HK now on vacation. It is truly amazing how many iPhone banners you see in storefronts. It's as if it's the only phone here. Shop after shop after shop, all selling phone accessories, their only signage is for the iPhone.
Agreed. On the subway I do not recall seeing any other phone.
I'm in HK now on vacation. It is truly amazing how many iPhone banners you see in storefronts. It's as if it's the only phone here. Shop after shop after shop, all selling phone accessories, their only signage is for the iPhone.
And the lines, every time Apple introduces something in HK, seem huge too.
And the lines, every time Apple introduces something in HK, seem huge too.
Especially when the headlines scream that it was sold out in 10 minutes.
Still no China Telecom deal with the 4S, nor a deal for a new model for China Mobile's unique '3G' network.
A matter of time, a matter of time.
Actually, I prefer my AAPL good news in drip-drip-drip form rather than as a waterfall....
A matter of time, a matter of time.
Actually, I prefer my AAPL good news in drip-drip-drip form rather than as a waterfall....
I think China Telecom could be feasibly added, but China Mobile will be a huge undertaking and I doubt they have the components for carrier's size.
China Mobile already reported 1.5% of their network using iPhones which means they bought them on the gray market and are only using GSM(GPRS/EDGE) and WiFI. I think that's a strong indication of what a '3G' iPhone on their network would do.
I think China Telecom could be feasibly added, but China Mobile will be a huge undertaking and I doubt they have the components for carrier's size.
I guess you mean you doubt they have the manufacturing capacity to take on that market?
Interesting, if true. Where can expansion occur? It must, of course. These are imperatives. Apple must connect the world.
I guess you mean you doubt they have the manufacturing capacity to take on that market?
Interesting, if true. Where can expansion occur? It must, of course. These are imperatives. Apple must connect the world.
I think what he means is their component suppliers can only provide so much and scale up so quickly. Apple is probably breaking records on every iPhone introduction. I gather that Apple does add suppliers when they can, but making sure the components are consistent and are of good quality is a major undertaking that can't just be rushed into production. I also wouldn't be surprised if Apple is still dealing with part supply constraints because of damage to Japan's and Taiwan's technology sectors due to their respective disasters. Taiwan's problems are more known for hard drives, but there are a lot of other component factories there too.
Insert comment. Make sure its a negative one and make sure you criticize me. I can take it. I think.
The United States of China. We serve China. They make our goods and we make them rich. Their people suffer to make ends meet by having to decide between family or a job. In the end they choose job and work for a fraction of what the manufacturers make off of that product. We here benefit from (in goods) it and the Chinese government reap in the bennies. Now the privileged Chinese people who have enough money to buy an iPhone are gonna reap the benefits from their fellow country men who suffer to make said products. And we all turn our heads and pretend everything is gonna be OK. It doesn't effect me so why should I worry. We are sleeping with a communist nation. Last time I checked Communist doctrines were unacceptable to the west. But hey they have us by the balls. We owe them money.
Insert comment. Make sure its a negative one and make sure you criticize me. I can take it. I think.
Ok, how about parochial and shortsighted to begin with? What you describe is the way of industrial development wherever it occurs. As one area moves from industrial to post industrial, another labor force begins its progress from preindustrial to industrial. Now it's global instead of happening within one nation or continent. The fact that one nation is post- another pre- or presently industrial is economic and technical, not political. You are thinking in 1950s terms.
Human progress is tectonic first, ideological second. Let's get over the politics of paranoia. It is time for humanity to work together to sustain, in fact repair, the earth.
Afterthought: It's our postindustrial job to design and invent stuff for others to manufacture and buy, just like Ford did for his own workers, like Apple and BMW are doing right now for the Chinese. We should stop fretting and embrace our role as "intellectual capitalists." Actually, maybe not BMW yet, since they're not making things in China, are they? But they are doing in the US, along with Benz, Toyota, etc., what Apple is doing in China. One big world.
But will Apple's slave labor be able to afford an iPhone?
That's not Apple's labor, it's Foxconn's labor. Apple is nowhere near their only customer.
The United States of China. We serve China. They make our goods and we make them rich. Their people suffer to make ends meet by having to decide between family or a job. In the end they choose job and work for a fraction of what the manufacturers make off of that product. We here benefit from (in goods) it and the Chinese government reap in the bennies. Now the privileged Chinese people who have enough money to buy an iPhone are gonna reap the benefits from their fellow country men who suffer to make said products. And we all turn our heads and pretend everything is gonna be OK. It doesn't effect me so why should I worry. We are sleeping with a communist nation. Last time I checked Communist doctrines were unacceptable to the west. But hey they have us by the balls. We owe them money.
Insert comment. Make sure its a negative one and make sure you criticize me. I can take it. I think.
Not criticizing, but expect you to propose solution rather than just Apple bashing.
E.g. Do you buy nothing... Zero ? If not you're just as much a part of the problem as apple.
I'll propose one... Restore tariffs that make it as expensive to outsource as to make in US. But that would require higher prices, and bucking our debt holders incurred from our un financed wars and tax cuts.
Hard choices.
That's not Apple's labor, it's Foxconn's labor. Apple is nowhere near their only customer.
Yeah but it's so much easier to just pretend it's Apple's only.