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Apple's iPhone 4S cleared for sale in China, expected to arrive in December

post #1 of 45
12/10/11 at 9:28am
Thread Starter 
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.
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post #2 of 45
12/10/11 at 9:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

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?
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post #3 of 45
12/10/11 at 9:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

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?
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post #4 of 45
12/10/11 at 10:00am
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.
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post #5 of 45
12/10/11 at 10:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

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.
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post #6 of 45
12/10/11 at 10:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by eacumm View Post

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.
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post #7 of 45
12/10/11 at 10:14am
Quote:
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"
"And just like that, everyone here realizes you're just another sweaty little Google licker with an axe to grind and no idea what he's talking about." --addabox
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"And just like that, everyone here realizes you're just another sweaty little Google licker with an axe to grind and no idea what he's talking about." --addabox
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post #8 of 45
12/10/11 at 10:17am
Still no China Telecom deal with the 4S, nor a deal for a new model for China Mobile's unique '3G' network.

"Blank! BLANK! You're not looking at the big picture!"

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"Blank! BLANK! You're not looking at the big picture!"

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post #9 of 45
12/10/11 at 10:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cameronj View Post

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.
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post #10 of 45
12/10/11 at 11:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cameronj View Post

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.
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post #11 of 45
12/10/11 at 11:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

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.
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post #12 of 45
12/10/11 at 11:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

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....
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post #13 of 45
12/10/11 at 12:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

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.

"Blank! BLANK! You're not looking at the big picture!"

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"Blank! BLANK! You're not looking at the big picture!"

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post #14 of 45
12/10/11 at 12:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

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.
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post #15 of 45
12/10/11 at 12:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flaneur View Post

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.
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post #16 of 45
12/10/11 at 1:15pm
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.
An Apple man since 1977
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An Apple man since 1977
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post #17 of 45
12/10/11 at 1:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerk36 View Post

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.
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post #18 of 45
12/10/11 at 1:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

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.
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post #19 of 45
12/10/11 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerk36 View Post

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.
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post #20 of 45
12/10/11 at 2:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by F1Ferrari View Post

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.
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post #21 of 45
12/10/11 at 5:48pm
A way to deal with owing China money is to sell them stuff they buy, Apple is starting to do this, GM is doing it, Mary Kay cosmetics etc. Manufacturing and buying works both ways....
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post #22 of 45
12/10/11 at 8:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by grlym View Post

A way to deal with owing China money is to sell them stuff they buy, Apple is starting to do this, GM is doing it, Mary Kay cosmetics etc. Manufacturing and buying works both ways....

The balance of payments is often very misleading anyway. If china buys the parts for an iPhone for $190, assembles it and then sells the completed package to apple for $200 (this is the effect, I chose the wording just to elucidate the concept, obviously china inc doesn't buy, create and then sell iPhones to apple) then the USA has a trade deficit with china of $200. But china only keeps $10 of that.
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post #23 of 45
12/10/11 at 8:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

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?

Let's see...

All BMW employees drive BMWs!
All Sony employees own the latest Bravia!
All Boeing employees own their private Jet!
All Ferrari Employees own a Ferrari!
All employees in HP's manufacturing plants own the latest HP Laptops!

The list can be very long.

Now lets see some facts -

1. Foxconn employees are paid more than average wages in China. It certainly not at par with US wages but certainly more than what the non-Foxconn persons are getting. May be they are happy to get the "extra" than crying for US level wages.

2. People/Businesses will always do/try to relocate where cost is lower. You do consider this when renting a house, choosing a school, buying the new phone. You set a minimum standard and buy/rent the least cost option which meets the minimum standard.

3. Do you have any suggestion or just venting your rant?
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post #24 of 45
12/10/11 at 8:56pm
Thank you Tsun Zu for a bit of reason and perspective here. Based on facts, not ranting. Much appreciated.
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post #25 of 45
12/10/11 at 11:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by grlym View Post

A way to deal with owing China money is to sell them stuff they buy, Apple is starting to do this, GM is doing it, Mary Kay cosmetics etc. Manufacturing and buying works both ways....

Apple selling China their own product, at a much better profit than the factory makes.

I'm wondering what caused the delay getting approval?
Time needed for China to develop spyware ?
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post #26 of 45
12/11/11 at 1:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsun Zu View Post

Let's see...

All BMW employees drive BMWs!
All Sony employees own the latest Bravia!
All Boeing employees own their private Jet!
All Ferrari Employees own a Ferrari!
All employees in HP's manufacturing plants own the latest HP Laptops!

The list can be very long.

Don't compare owning BMWs, Ferraris and Boeings with owning a darn phone or a laptop.
I bet everyone who works for Nike or Adidas can afford a pair of Nike/Adidas brand shoes, or you choose the shoe brand. Same goes for all other goods which are, say, cheaper than couple of hundreds bucks. More expensive goods go into "really needed can/cannot be afforded" category.
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post #27 of 45
12/11/11 at 2:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

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?

Still trolling I see.
Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
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Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
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post #28 of 45
12/11/11 at 3:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2992 View Post

Don't compare owning BMWs, Ferraris and Boeings with owning a darn phone or a laptop.
I bet everyone who works for Nike or Adidas can afford a pair of Nike/Adidas brand shoes, or you choose the shoe brand. Same goes for all other goods which are, say, cheaper than couple of hundreds bucks. More expensive goods go into "really needed can/cannot be afforded" category.

Why not make the comparison? Why should the demarcation line be your arbitrary "couple of hundred bucks"? Couldn't a 'couple of hundred bucks' be just as out of range as the cost of a new BMW, Ferrari, or Boeing jet? Can people not take out loans to buy cars or anything else their manufacturer makes? That loan payment falls into 'what they can afford', and as such becomes part of their lifestyle.
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post #29 of 45
12/11/11 at 6:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by F1Ferrari View Post

Why not make the comparison? Why should the demarcation line be your arbitrary "couple of hundred bucks"? Couldn't a 'couple of hundred bucks' be just as out of range as the cost of a new BMW, Ferrari, or Boeing jet? Can people not take out loans to buy cars or anything else their manufacturer makes? That loan payment falls into 'what they can afford', and as such becomes part of their lifestyle.

Right. To even start to have a sensible conversation about this, we would want to know what life was like for a Foxconn worker before joining the workforce, and what it is like now, in detail. Has anyone seen anything objective along these lines? Would be an interesting story, but we'll have to wait for some real journalism or real communication with the sources.

Meanwhile, xenophobic comments like CJ's and JoshA's are only stupidly counterproductive, and examples of how America's citizens remain in the shadow of certain "news organizations." Fortunately, Apple is way ahead of them.
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post #30 of 45
12/11/11 at 7:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsun Zu View Post

3. Do you have any suggestion or just venting your rant?

Apple should study Henry Ford's methods.
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post #31 of 45
12/11/11 at 7:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flaneur View Post

Right. To even start to have a sensible conversation about this, we would want to know what life was like for a Foxconn worker before joining the workforce, and what it is like now, in detail. Has anyone seen anything objective along these lines? Would be an interesting story, but we'll have to wait for some real journalism or real communication with the sources.

Meanwhile, xenophobic comments like CJ's and JoshA's are only stupidly counterproductive, and examples of how America's citizens remain in the shadow of certain "news organizations." Fortunately, Apple is way ahead of them.

So true, did you see recently that studies show those American citizens that remain in the shadow of that certain "news organization" cough cough... know less about the world than those that watch no news ...
Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
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Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
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post #32 of 45
12/11/11 at 7:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by F1Ferrari View Post

or Boeing jet? Can people not take out loans to buy cars or anything else their manufacturer makes?

People in general cannot take out loans to by jet airplanes. HTH.
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post #33 of 45
12/11/11 at 7:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flaneur View Post

Right. To even start to have a sensible conversation about this, we would want to know what life was like for a Foxconn worker before joining the workforce, and what it is like now, in detail.

Well, before, they used to get chased by lions and other wild animals, and they lived in grass huts.

Now, they live in the massa's house and eat hog jowls.


That is all that one needs to know!
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post #34 of 45
12/11/11 at 8:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post

So true, did you see recently that studies show those American citizens that remain in the shadow of that certain "news organization" cough cough... know less about the world than those that watch no news ...

I did, and maybe you agree it's a dodgy business to mention them by name. Or not to mention them. Wait, I'm confused for some reason . . .

Orwell was a romantic.
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post #35 of 45
12/11/11 at 9:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

People in general cannot take out loans to by jet airplanes. HTH.

Depends on who the person is. You or I, maybe not. Celebrities or athletes most certainly can. A cursory look around the internet finds jets for sale in the $500,000 range, or not too far off the price of a new Ferrari.
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post #36 of 45
12/11/11 at 9:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post

So true, did you see recently that studies show those American citizens that remain in the shadow of that certain "news organization" cough cough... know less about the world than those that watch no news ...

Based on the people I know who are devotees of said "news organization", I'd say that study was 100% accurate.
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post #37 of 45
12/11/11 at 9:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by F1Ferrari View Post

Depends on who the person is. You or I, maybe not. Celebrities or athletes most certainly can. A cursory look around the internet finds jets for sale in the $500,000 range, or not too far off the price of a new Ferrari.

I specified "people in general". Had I said "no person", then you might have some sort of a weak point. As it is, not even that.
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post #38 of 45
12/11/11 at 10:19am
Excuse me for intruding upon this liberal off topic political circle jerk that is taking place in this thread, but it is my duty as a highly informed and intelligent person to point out that the study which certain people are referring to also happened to mention another news network too.

The viewers of that news network (which I of course will not dare mention, but it is found on the opposite political spectrum of the network that certain people here are hinting at) were found to be equally as clueless, depending on the issue.

Since we're playing a game of not mentioning any names, here is a quote from a news article about that study. I have removed the names of the guilty.

xxxxxxx and xxxxxxx viewers both fared poorly overall, but on different issues.

And the ironic part is that some of the same people taking part in this liberal circle jerk are the same people to always whine and get upset whenever somebody else happens to make any political comment in any thread. They especially get their panties all wet if somebody happens to mention the name of a person who happens to live in a particular house in Washington. I of course can't mention the name of that house, but it is the polar opposite of a black house. Yet, here these hypocritical biased people can be found doing exactly what they whine about.
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post #39 of 45
12/11/11 at 10:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post

Apple should study Henry Ford's methods.

Henry Ford did a lot of great things, but his personal and social predilections left something to be desired: he was a eugenicist, and something of an anti-Semite.
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post #40 of 45
12/11/11 at 11:35am
Yep, the stuff about XXX News is off topic. Why it came up: The very first post in the thread was an example of a brain pretend-damaged by certain news organizations (didn't say which, but some are worse than others) preying on, attempting to stir up, other damaged brains.

On topic, Apple is way ahead of anyone in the US in working with China that I can think of, unlike those here stirring up xenophobia. And President Hu is just today talking about increasing imports to balance things out:

"Chinese President Hu Jintao said Sunday that China doesn't intentionally pursue a large trade surplus and that it will focus on expanding imports in the coming years.

"In a speech broadcast live on state television, Hu said China's ultimate aim is to have balanced trade and that total imports will exceed $8 trillion over the next five years, bringing 'enormous opportunities' to businesses around the world eager to sell to hundreds of millions of Chinese consumers.

"Hu was speaking at a forum to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization."

Link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...f022838S75.DTL
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