Rumor: Apple's 'iPhone 5S,' '5C' to see Chinese release Nov. 28

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
The next iteration of Apple's iPhone will see release in China roughly two months after it's expected to debut in the U.S. due to government regulation, according to the latest rumors.



The so-called "iPhone 5S" and the expected lower-cost "iPhone 5C" will reach Chinese consumers on Nov. 28, according to China's First Financial Daily. That would put the Chinese release about two months after a likely Sept. 10 media event that will see the introduction and possible U.S. launch of the two new models.

Reportedly, the next generation iPhone models have yet to clear the verification process required by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Sources cite this hurdle as the reason for the gap between the global and Chinese launches, but the iPhone 5 launched in China some months after its U.S. debut, and it went on to sell two million units in its opening weekend.

Previously, it was reported that the Japanese launch of the new iPhone models would occur on Sept. 20. It's expected to go on sale in the U.S. the same day, as Apple traditionally makes its new iPhone models available on a Friday the week after they are announced.

The 2013 iPhone launch is expected to mark a departure from Apple's standard operating procedure in a few ways. The Cupertino-based smartphone maker is expected to release two models of the iPhone in the same year for the first time ? with the "iPhone 5S" handling the high-end of the market ? while the polycarbonate-backed "iPhone 5C," rumored to be available in a range of colors, will provide a more affordable option.

Flash
Artist's conception of a possible iPhone 5S. Source: AppleInsider


Also, the "5C" is expected to replace the current model, the iPhone 5, with the iPhone 4S staying around as the low-end legacy option. That marks a departure from the trend that has seen Apple keeping the last two years of devices available in lower pricing tiers.

As the world's most populous nation and the largest market for mobile devices, China is increasingly important for Apple's future. Last quarter, Apple did $4.64 billion worth of business in the country, but that figure was down 14 percent year-over-year, due in part to channel inventory concerns.

The lower-cost iPhone could be a means by which Apple can greatly expand its influence in China. Some analysts believe the "iPhone 5C" could account for as much as 70 percent of iPhone sales in China.

Meanwhile, rumors out of the Far East point to pictures of the packaging for a 128GB model of the iPhone 5S. Such a unit has been rumored for some time, and while it is not possible to confirm their veracity, the images do appear consistent with Apple's previous packaging norms. The same rumors also claim that the 128GB model will cost about 6,250 renminbi, or about $1,021 upon its release.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member
    That's better than last year when the iPhone 5 was released December 14th,
  • Reply 2 of 18
    gwmacgwmac Posts: 1,807member


    Do other companies like Samsung have to wait an extra 2 months to get their approval as well? Why does it take this long to approve a substantially similar phone to the one it is replacing. It seems like Apple didn't grease the right palms in Beijing. 

  • Reply 3 of 18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by gwmac View Post


    Do other companies like Samsung have to wait an extra 2 months to get their approval as well? Why does it take this long to approve a substantially similar phone to the one it is replacing. It seems like Apple didn't grease the right palms in Beijing. 



    Samsung (and some others) does not always prioritize the US as the first market to hit with the new phone.

  • Reply 4 of 18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by StruckPaper View Post


    Samsung (and some others) does not always prioritize the US as the first market to hit with the new phone.



    agreed.


     


    OTOH, the US(western Europe/JudeoXian) holiday Sales Season (Oct-Jan) is critical for apple and its retail partners.  You gotta prioritize your opportunities.  


     


    Chinese New Year chronologically after this, And Int'l Labor day (may 1) is sort of a personal shopping day...  That said, Xmas is becoming more prevalent in younger chinese society, again more of a childrens gifting day from parents. 

  • Reply 5 of 18
    gwmacgwmac Posts: 1,807member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by StruckPaper View Post


    Samsung (and some others) does not always prioritize the US as the first market to hit with the new phone.



    That doesn't address my question. Does it take Samsung and other companies as long to get through the approval process in China as it takes Apple. How many weeks/months did it take to get the approval for the S4 for example vs. release dates in other countries. 


     


    Edit: I did a quick web search an it seems it was released in China in late April which is the same as other countries including the U.S. Could it be that other companies simply finalize their phones far sooner and ask for approval far sooner than Apple who might wait until near the actual release date? 

  • Reply 6 of 18
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    gwmac wrote: »
    Do other companies like Samsung have to wait an extra 2 months to get their approval as well? Why does it take this long to approve a substantially similar phone to the one it is replacing. It seems like Apple didn't grease the right palms in Beijing. 

    I doubt if it's about approvals. It typically takes time to ramp up production to meet global demand. Apple chooses to go after the higher value countries first.

    When you're releasing 100 models of phones and space out those introductions throughout the year, you don't have that problem.
  • Reply 7 of 18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by gwmac View Post


    Do other companies like Samsung have to wait an extra 2 months to get their approval as well? Why does it take this long to approve a substantially similar phone to the one it is replacing. It seems like Apple didn't grease the right palms in Beijing. 



    greasing palms not withstanding, when it comes to building phones,  it's radio frequency testing that requires the biggest and latest stage time delay... if you change your radios out, you need retesting.  


     


    So, if Apple is moving to 


    - 802.11ac(draft) on all devices (requiring a new WiFi Radio and ideally multi antenna configuration)


    - a single chip to support CDMA (and China Mobile TD-SCDMA), GSM, and LTE flavors from around the world


        (see: http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/02/22/new-qualcomm-lte-solution-could-be-used-in-true-global-iphone-with-support-for-china-mobile)


    that means new radios that require approval.


     


    You don't want to allow a phone that comes in causes interference with other (more critical) radio frequency dependent/sensitive devices (oh, like police radios, or cardiac pacemakers).   So, 'greasing palms' isn't a good option for a half trillion dollar company (grease works best if you were selling knock offs on the corner).


     


    In China it's a two step process... being certified to meet the world/Chinese interoperability standards (3C)


    And each Carrier that sells the phone then can take that certified phone and prove to Chinese Gov't that it works with their configuration (CRM).



     


    And you can't get approval until it's in final form factor... so saying you're using chipX, radio Y at settings Z doesn't do much until you finalize manufacturing and build out a run of a couple thousand, to verify that manufacturing doesn't impact it (the glue or the case turning into a directional death ray;-)


     


    Apple has to do the same in every country, although some will defer to other nations/international certifications, and build in contingencies in case it has to modify for key national standards.

  • Reply 8 of 18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by gwmac View Post


    That doesn't address my question. Does it take Samsung and other companies as long to get through the approval process in China as it takes Apple. How many weeks/months did it take to get the approval for the S4 for example vs. release dates in other countries. 


     


    Edit: I did a quick web search an it seems it was released in China in late April which is the same as other countries including the U.S. Could it be that other companies simply finalize their phones far sooner and ask for approval far sooner than Apple who might wait until near the actual release date? 



    A variation on this theme:


     


    Since: Design Secrecy is a key factor for Apple.  You can submit to the US FCC your plans in confidence.   In China, it is assumed that it's not the case (anything you provide to the Chinese gov't is the 'peoples property' and is provided/leaked to chinese manufacturers.


     


    Could it be that this is a byproduct of  Apple's keeping manufacturing methods and designs secret until product release?  Don't submit it to Chinese certification until the devices are on the market (where someone can dissect it anyway)?

  • Reply 9 of 18
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    gwmac wrote: »
    That doesn't address my question. Does it take Samsung and other companies as long to get through the approval process in China as it takes Apple. How many weeks/months did it take to get the approval for the S4 for example vs. release dates in other countries. 

    Edit: I did a quick web search an it seems it was released in China in late April which is the same as other countries including the U.S. Could it be that other companies simply finalize their phones far sooner and ask for approval far sooner than Apple who might wait until near the actual release date? 

    Could be due to secrecy concerns. As we've seen, once an Apple product leaves Apple all bets are off.
  • Reply 10 of 18
    Apple either doesn't understand the fine art of 'bribery' in Asia, or simply doesn't play by those rules. Either way, there's a reason the wheels aren't as 'greasy' for them as everyone else's seem to be. Samsung is a master of the craft, that is clear. China is also working to help give their domestic companies a leg up.

    That said, I'm not sure about the reasons for this delay, if there is one, other than: Apple rolls out all their major releases incrementally. They typically add 8 ~10 countries every few weeks after the initial launch, mostly for supply reasons, right?

    I suspect this release date may coincide with an announcement of their premiere on China Mobile, showcasing the lower cost and colorful 5C model alongside that.

  • Reply 11 of 18
    It clearly says "Rumor" in the headline. This is unexpectedly professional for AppleInsider, which normally clickbaits up their headlines with provocative, misleading verbiage. I am stunned (in a good way :) )
  • Reply 12 of 18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by gwmac View Post


    That doesn't address my question. Does it take Samsung and other companies as long to get through the approval process in China as it takes Apple. How many weeks/months did it take to get the approval for the S4 for example vs. release dates in other countries. 


     


    Edit: I did a quick web search an it seems it was released in China in late April which is the same as other countries including the U.S. Could it be that other companies simply finalize their phones far sooner and ask for approval far sooner than Apple who might wait until near the actual release date? 



    Could be, which is why you'll not get an answer to your question unless you know someone directly involved. 


     


    But I don't think it's a matter of finalizing sooner or not. You can apply for FTC testing (or the equivalent elsewhere) before you have a production model, as long as the latter is materially the same as the test model. 


     


    I think the timing has to do with the fact that it is logistically impossible to simultaneously meet the anticipated demands in the US and China. So Apple chooses the US because that's home, and became Christmas is more important in the US than China, as someone else mentioned. This is strictly my opinion.

  • Reply 13 of 18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tribalogical View Post



    Apple either doesn't understand the fine art of 'bribery' in Asia, or simply doesn't play by those rules. Either way, there's a reason the wheels aren't as 'greasy' for them as everyone else's seem to be. Samsung is a master of the craft, that is clear. China is also working to help give their domestic companies a leg up.



    That said, I'm not sure about the reasons for this delay, if there is one, other than: Apple rolls out all their major releases incrementally. They typically add 8 ~10 countries every few weeks after the initial launch, mostly for supply reasons, right?



    I suspect this release date may coincide with an announcement of their premiere on China Mobile, showcasing the lower cost and colorful 5C model alongside that.

     


    So first you speculate, erring on the side of libel. Then you say you don't know what you're talking about? 


     


    Another day here at Appleinsider  :)

  • Reply 14 of 18


    each one has their own strategy and both are working pretty well for them.


     


    One thing is certain, my phone (android, xperia x10mini pro) died 2 days ago, and Apple didn't had an offer to meet my criteria. As a result, I payed 175 euros and bought a galaxy s3 mini. In my opinion, even at 300, it would be a better deal then the soon to be dead and unsupported iphone 4. Of course the thing is already running cyanogenmod, and so far, for the price, it's phenomenal.


     


    While I agree that only a full retard would buy a galaxy s4, this sort of deal is unmatched by Apple.


     


    Is that so difficult to understand that more than 70% of smartphone users worldwide won't spend more than 350 € on a phone and that a 3 year old almost unsupported device isn't the answer for it? Clearly they do not want market share, but they could turn a decent profit on every device and create a stronger iOS plataform because of it. At least Apple should create another premium iPhone line and totally dominate the high end.


     


    To put it simply, the iPhone doesn't exist outside of the US, UK and a few nordic countries.


     


    *On Apple's website, the iPhone 4 still costs 400 euros. Until a few days ago, the s3 mini 300. Due to promotions and another services, I had the choice to buy either the iPhone 4 at 250€, xperia L at 240€ and the s3 mini at 175€ or the lumia 520 at 95€. Clearly the worst deal of all would be the iPhone 4. Apple should change their stratety if they want more than strong and healthy presence in only 4 or 5 countries worldwide.


     


    No?

  • Reply 15 of 18
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member
    each one has their own strategy and both are working pretty well for them.

    One thing is certain, my phone (android, xperia x10mini pro) died 2 days ago, and Apple didn't had an offer to meet my criteria. As a result, I payed 175 euros and bought a galaxy s3 mini. In my opinion, even at 300, it would be a better deal then the soon to be dead and unsupported iphone 4. Of course the thing is already running cyanogenmod, and so far, for the price, it's phenomenal.

    While I agree that only a full retard would buy a galaxy s4, this sort of deal is unmatched by Apple.

    Is that so difficult to understand that more than 70% of smartphone users worldwide won't spend more than 350 € on a phone and that a 3 year old almost unsupported device isn't the answer for it? Clearly they do not want market share, but they could turn a decent profit on every device and create a stronger iOS plataform because of it. At least Apple should create another premium iPhone line and totally dominate the high end.

    To put it simply, the iPhone doesn't exist outside of the US, UK and a few nordic countries.

    *On Apple's website, the iPhone 4 still costs 400 euros. Until a few days ago, the s3 mini 300. Due to promotions and another services, I had the choice to buy either the iPhone 4 at 250€, xperia L at 240€ and the s3 mini at 175€ or the lumia 520 at 95€. Clearly the worst deal of all would be the iPhone 4. Apple should change their stratety if they want more than strong and healthy presence in only 4 or 5 countries worldwide.

    No?

    .... and that's what they're doing with the 5C ....
  • Reply 16 of 18
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    each one has their own strategy and both are working pretty well for them.

    One thing is certain, my phone (android, xperia x10mini pro) died 2 days ago, and Apple didn't had an offer to meet my criteria. As a result, I payed 175 euros and bought a galaxy s3 mini. In my opinion, even at 300, it would be a better deal then the soon to be dead and unsupported iphone 4. Of course the thing is already running cyanogenmod, and so far, for the price, it's phenomenal.

    While I agree that only a full retard would buy a galaxy s4, this sort of deal is unmatched by Apple.

    Is that so difficult to understand that more than 70% of smartphone users worldwide won't spend more than 350 € on a phone and that a 3 year old almost unsupported device isn't the answer for it? Clearly they do not want market share, but they could turn a decent profit on every device and create a stronger iOS plataform because of it. At least Apple should create another premium iPhone line and totally dominate the high end.

    To put it simply, the iPhone doesn't exist outside of the US, UK and a few nordic countries.

    *On Apple's website, the iPhone 4 still costs 400 euros. Until a few days ago, the s3 mini 300. Due to promotions and another services, I had the choice to buy either the iPhone 4 at 250€, xperia L at 240€ and the s3 mini at 175€ or the lumia 520 at 95€. Clearly the worst deal of all would be the iPhone 4. Apple should change their stratety if they want more than strong and healthy presence in only 4 or 5 countries worldwide.

    No?

    No.

    Should Ferrari lower their prices because most people prefer a Fiat or Chevy or Ford? Obviously not. But the same principle applies. Different products have different features and prices. Apple has chosen a set of features and prices that they are happy with - and the iPhone series is still the fastest selling phone of all time. Even the older iPhones are still in the top 10.

    Apple would be foolish to try to get ALL phone customers. They've chosen a price to balance volume and profitability (and market share and other lesser considerations).

    They MAY (it is still not known for certain) introduce a lower price phone, but even if they do, there will still be people who say exactly the same thing that you just said. If the iPhone 5C is $399, there will be people who say it should be $300. If it's $299, some people will say it should be $200. There will always be cheaper phones and the argument that Apple needs to offer phones at every price level is naive.
  • Reply 17 of 18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post



    No.



    Should Ferrari lower their prices because most people prefer a Fiat or Chevy or Ford? Obviously not. But the same principle applies. Different products have different features and prices. Apple has chosen a set of features and prices that they are happy with - and the iPhone series is still the fastest selling phone of all time. Even the older iPhones are still in the top 10.



    Apple would be foolish to try to get ALL phone customers. They've chosen a price to balance volume and profitability (and market share and other lesser considerations).



    They MAY (it is still not known for certain) introduce a lower price phone, but even if they do, there will still be people who say exactly the same thing that you just said. If the iPhone 5C is $399, there will be people who say it should be $300. If it's $299, some people will say it should be $200. There will always be cheaper phones and the argument that Apple needs to offer phones at every price level is naive.


    I believe that you are wrong at pretty much everything you tried to say.


     


    For starters, Ferrari belongs to Fiat and as a company is insignificant by itself. It's a totaly different situatio and the principle doesn't apply. Apple is more of a Mercedes, and to an extent, Mercedes is worried about some FIAT lines, obviously. Not only that, but you are showing a lot of ignorance in your first paragraph. Don't be offended, but it is clear that you are from the USA. Like I said, the iPhone doesn't exist outside of 5 countries, so the "fastest selling phone" does not apply outside of those countries, not even top 20.


     


    We are not talking about Apple trying to get all phone costumers. We are talking about Apple having more than 5% market share in most countries. The fact is that Market share matters (to an extent) and despite the fact that most markets are not saturated, Apple has virtually 0% presence outside the US, UK, Canada and a few nordic countries.


     


    Again, this isn't about "cheap" phones or wanting something cheaper. This is about good deals. I think that the iPhone 5 is a great deal, probably the best deal if you use your phone for work, but that doesn't mean that it is for me. The fact is that if you have 500 € or less to spend on a phone (that covers what, 95% of the world population?), Apple's only offer is the old, soon to be unsupported, slow, outdated and (frankly pathetic for the price, probably with 85% profit already) iPhone 4.


     


    That's a bad deal for 99% of people. With the same price you can get all sorts of better devices. In fact, people outside the US become offended with that sort of offer and that changes their opinion of Apple.


     


    Despite all that, I'm not even saying that Apple should produce a cheaper device. What I am saying is that they have everything to produce a much better device for the same price, that's a very different thing. They just don't do it because they are feeding on the stupidity of most costumers. That's ok, Samsung does worse, everyone does it, but they just won't get my money like that.


     


    I believe that they should look up, not down. Another premium iPhone line looks more important for the business then a cheaper one.  That doesn't change the fact that they gave me (and most costumers) no option but to go android, not because they did not have an offer, but because Apple's offer (iPhone 4) is absolutly pathetic right now.


     


    I'm pretty happy with this device. Stock Android is fantastic (even if iOS is better) and that was the best deal I found. That's Samsung's greatest power. Not the cheapest, but the best deal, even if someone has 0 knowledge about tech and Android and uses touchwiz and Samsung's ROM.

  • Reply 18 of 18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    ... after it's expected to debut in the U.S. ...

     

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