Apple in talks to bring iPhone 4, iPad with localized content to China
A Chinese PC maker is in talks to distribute the iPad in China with localized content, while Apple's existing wireless carrier partner hopes to carry both the iPad and iPhone 4 in the near future.
Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes reported Thursday that Fang Zhongua, vice president of Founder, a China-based PC maker, confirmed that his company is in negotiations with Apple to distribute the iPad. The company is already one of the four major distributors of other Apple products throughout China.
"Founder is already developing applications for Apple's iPad and is also providing its Chinese e-books to iPad users," the report said.
The news confirms a report from last week that said Founder was in negotiations to provide e-book content to the nation of over a billion. It was speculated that Apple wants to work with companies in order to localize content to fit the cultures of different regions.
In addition, China Unicom, which was the first carrier to offer Apple's iPhone in China, hopes to offer the iPhone 4 this fall. The carrier also hopes to offer the 3G capable version of Apple's iPad in the near future.
It is unknown whether the iPhone 4 could have Wi-Fi in China. The previous iPhone released in the nation was released withoug Wi-Fi due to a temporary ban on the wireless standard. It has since been repealed, and a Chinese iPhone with WAPI Wi-Fi was given regulatory approval, but has not been made available for sale.
Apple is set to open a new underground retail megastore in Shanghai by mid-July. Like the company's iconic Fifth Avenue store in New York City, the Shanghai store has a dramatic giant glass structure that serves as the entrance to the underground store. But it is not expected that customers will be able to purchase the iPhone 4 or iPad at the store's launch, as neither product is yet available in China.
Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes reported Thursday that Fang Zhongua, vice president of Founder, a China-based PC maker, confirmed that his company is in negotiations with Apple to distribute the iPad. The company is already one of the four major distributors of other Apple products throughout China.
"Founder is already developing applications for Apple's iPad and is also providing its Chinese e-books to iPad users," the report said.
The news confirms a report from last week that said Founder was in negotiations to provide e-book content to the nation of over a billion. It was speculated that Apple wants to work with companies in order to localize content to fit the cultures of different regions.
In addition, China Unicom, which was the first carrier to offer Apple's iPhone in China, hopes to offer the iPhone 4 this fall. The carrier also hopes to offer the 3G capable version of Apple's iPad in the near future.
It is unknown whether the iPhone 4 could have Wi-Fi in China. The previous iPhone released in the nation was released withoug Wi-Fi due to a temporary ban on the wireless standard. It has since been repealed, and a Chinese iPhone with WAPI Wi-Fi was given regulatory approval, but has not been made available for sale.
Apple is set to open a new underground retail megastore in Shanghai by mid-July. Like the company's iconic Fifth Avenue store in New York City, the Shanghai store has a dramatic giant glass structure that serves as the entrance to the underground store. But it is not expected that customers will be able to purchase the iPhone 4 or iPad at the store's launch, as neither product is yet available in China.
Comments
A Chinese PC maker is in talks to distribute the iPad in China with localized content, while Apple's existing wireless carrier partner hopes to carry both the iPad and iPhone 4 in the near future.
I apologize for my ignorance, but what exactly is "localized content"?
I like reading translations of original literature from other cultures. My hope is that there will be less of the traditional (previous) Anglicization (Westernization) of names of people and places or events.
This will foster globalization of exchange of information and perhaps a better understanding of the cultures of the world.
CGC
I apologize for my ignorance, but what exactly is "localized content"?
Content tailored to a specific localization?in this case, content specific for China; content which ideally holds a wide appeal to the Chinese audience. Emoji would be an example of a localized feature, for example.
As far as pulling that email rant article, maybe Apple legal asked for it to be removed. Unlikely you will get an answer anyway.
I wish American companies wouldn't cave in to the anti-democratic leanings of governments like China just to make more cash. It slowly erodes our own democracy when these large multi-national companies do exactly as they are told by communists.
My friend says that the iPhone sold in mainland China right now does NOT have iTunes pre-installed. Rather you have to download it. And the Chinese Carrier has it's own app store pre-installed on the device. Clearly there are major negotiation problems for Apple trying to implement an iOS ecosystem strategy in China.
My friend also says, that like most places, brand names mean a lot in upwardly mobile urban China. The brand "Apple" is not known and has no cache. The brand "IPod" is big cache, so there are tons of knock of iPod phones and iPod laptops, as the population things that IPOD is a brand connected with the iPod they have. They do not understand that Apple is at all connected with "IPOD".
I think this is why either Jobs or Cook mentioned sometime ago, that not only would they be building a lot of new stores in China, but they would be working on their "Brand".
"Localized Content" is the censored version of the Internet that the Chinese government approves.
I wish American companies wouldn't cave in to the anti-democratic leanings of governments like China just to make more cash. It slowly erodes our own democracy when these large multi-national companies do exactly as they are told by communists.
This is a shortsighted way of looking at things.
Unless you are a disciple, do we really think that the rants of Rush Limbaugh or the lies that Sarah Palin are any better than those of communist propaganda? Do we really achieve a truly civil discourse -- a must in a democracy -- if talking heads do nothing but make shrill declarations of positions with the primary goal to cater to their flocks? Sad to say but that is the state of the internet and mass media today especially in Western countries.
There is more to the internet than politics or the concerns of the government, be it in China or in Western countries. For Westerners to think that Western culture, even what we call democracy to be superior to other countries, is naive.
Are we really so naive to think that elections is the US is truly free and the true voice of the people? How much does money and lobbying affect the laws that get passed? And yet, we looked down at what we call graft and corruption in other countries.
This is not to justify the practices in other countries but let us not forget the failings of our own government and culture.
But leaving politics behind, there is so much that the internet can do -- in fostering indigienous literature and culture -- especially in a global village. I bet most Westerners are clueless of other cultures. It would help us all if we are more exposed to those of other peoples of the world. From a local point of view, it would be helpful for each country to have a focus on indigenous culture and literature instead of being exposed mainly to Western-centric internet.
We may not be fully aware of this but the internet and the powers of technology, like mobile devices, even in the of censorship have been instrumental in reforms and averting excesses in some coutries. One I am aware of personally is the power of "texting" via mobile phones to mobilize Filipinos to rally almost in an instant against the plan of the former President of the Philippines to railroad a constitutional amendment that would have allowed HER and her cronies to stay in power.
The goal of the President failed, thanks to the power of "texting".
I capitalized the term "HER", about the former president of the Philippines, to emphasize a point. Countires, like the US, claim to be a democracy, but it has yet to elect a an Amercian woman for president. The Philippines alreaday had two female Presidents, and had many females in almost all fields occupying the highest position, at one time or another. Other countries in the world, especially in Asia and Latin America (and also Africa) had been electing Presidents or Prime Ministers.
http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/Presidents.htm
You can count the number of woman heads of state in Western countries, mostly in Europe - Thatcher, Merkel, the Irish Presidents. It will take a long time before one would be elected in the US (but I hope not Sarah Palin).
Anyway, as far as government and politics are concerned, countries, especially the United State, can learn a lot from other countries, and not be ignorantly smug all the time.
CGC
This is a shortsighted way of looking at things.
Unless you are a disciple, do we really think that the rants of Rush Limbaugh or the lies that Sarah Palin are any better than those of communist propaganda? Do we really achieve a truly civil discourse -- a must in a democracy -- if talking heads do nothing but make shrill declarations of positions with the primary goal to cater to their flocks? Sad to say but that is the state of the internet and mass media today especially in Western countries.
You do realize that China censors everything that people see or read with a very heavy hand, don't you? Yes, there is censorship here in the US as well, but, it is better controlled and can be challenged by citizens in our courts.
There is more to the internet than politics or the concerns of the government, be it in China or in Western countries. For Westerners to think that Western culture, even what we call democracy to be superior to other countries, is naive.
What non-democratic country do you think has a superior government to ours? Would you want to live in any of those countries? Would you prefer to live in China over, say, Spain?
Are we really so naive to think that elections is the US is truly free and the true voice of the people? How much does money and lobbying affect the laws that get passed? And yet, we looked down at what we call graft and corruption in other countries.
While I might agree with the underlying message here, it's a bit too cynical to take seriously.
But leaving politics behind, there is so much that the internet can do -- in fostering indigienous literature and culture -- especially in a global village. I bet most Westerners are clueless of other cultures. It would help us all if we are more exposed to those of other peoples of the world. From a local point of view, it would be helpful for each country to have a focus on indigenous culture and literature instead of being exposed mainly to Western-centric internet.
The USA is made up of every race and ethnicity you can think of (to the chagrin of many Conservatives). The cultures of many peoples have been incorporated and celebrated all around the US. There are few other countries that can match the diversity of the US. The Italian, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Romanian, Polish, etc. immigrants that continue to come to America have shaped and formed the culture here for over 200+ years. It's not perfect, but, it's changed the world mostly for the better.
You can count the number of woman heads of state in Western countries, mostly in Europe - Thatcher, Merkel, the Irish Presidents. It will take a long time before one would be elected in the US (but I hope not Sarah Palin).
Um, you do realize that in the last election a woman, Hilary Clinton, was a VERY strong contender for President, don't you? But she lost to a black man named Barack Obama who was elected President. When was the last time Britain had a black Prime Minister? Or France? Or Sweden?
Anyway, as far as government and politics are concerned, countries, especially the United State, can learn a lot from other countries, and not be ignorantly smug all the time.
And the US has learned a lot from other countries and continues to do so now that we have a President who's actually clued into what's going on in the rest of the world around us.
I apologize for my ignorance, but what exactly is "localized content"?
It is content specific to the local market. In this case chinese language and chinese specific apps.
My friend also says, that like most places, brand names mean a lot in upwardly mobile urban China. The brand "Apple" is not known and has no cache. The brand "IPod" is big cache, so there are tons of knock of iPod phones and iPod laptops, as the population things that IPOD is a brand connected with the iPod they have. They do not understand that Apple is at all connected with "IPOD".
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I'm sorry but you are GROSSLY mistaken. I live in China currently and have been coming here for 11 years now. The Apple brand is extremely well known here, and you see the iPhone everywhere. There have been millions of them imported from other countries. This is one of the key reasons you can sell your old one on ebay for more than you paid for it. Apple has tons of cache here and is known by just about everyone. The Apple brand is highly desirable.
Sorry to speak off-topic but does anyone know why AI pulled the just-released article about a guy (Burford) trying to sell his email-rant to Steve Jobs for the highest bidder? Was there a problem in the article?
yeah, it is fake!
http://www.macrumors.com/2010/07/01/...hange-is-fake/
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