Apple to hold separate iPhone event in China on Sept. 11

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple has announced that it will be holding a special media event for Chinese journalists on Sept. 11, just ten hours after the company is expected to announce a next-generation iPhone lineup at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.

China Invitation
Source: Sina Tech


The notices for Apple's Chinese event went out early Wednesday morning, inviting various media outlets to attend a special event in Beijing slated to begin at 10 a.m. local time on Sept. 11, reports SinaTech.

Identically designed invitations were sent to U.S. journalists on Tuesday for a Sept. 10 announcement, at which Apple is widely expected to unveil a next-generation "iPhone 5S," as well as a lower-cost model dubbed the "iPhone 5C."

If Apple does in fact debut new iPhones at both gatherings, it will be a significant departure from the company's usual product launches, illustrating the importance of the Chinese market. That a separate Chinese event has been planned lends credence to rumors regarding a less expensive iPhone model, which will reportedly keep costs down by adopting a plastic composite shell and current generation innards.

The so-called "iPhone 5C" could be a major boon for Apple in China, as cheaper handsets have been gaining popularity in the world's largest smartphone market. While not a premium offering like the anticipated iPhone 5S, which is rumored to come in a new "champagne" color to suit a shift in Chinese color preference, the 5C is expected to carry a price competitive in the upper mid-tier sector.

Apple has lost some ground recently to more affordable handsets made by local companies like Xiaomi, though the iPhone is not yet offered by China Mobile, the world's largest cellular carrier. Currently, only two operators carry the iPhone, previous exclusive partner China Unicom and, since 2012, China Telecom.

In July, Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly visited with telecom executives, including China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua, to discuss "matter of cooperation." Weeks later, China Mobile was said to be actively negotiating a deal with Apple, though an official arrangement has yet to be announced.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 46
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    LOL

    Apple releases the iPhone 5C...in China only.

    The C was for China.
  • Reply 2 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GTR View Post



    LOL



    Apple releases the iPhone 5C...in China only.



    The C was for China.

     

    Hmm so there's a possibility that the 5C wont be announced on Sep 10th, and maybe announced on Sep 11th in China :) ?

  • Reply 3 of 46
    It could be the translation to Chinese of what the event is all about in the Sept 10 event in San Francisco. Based on the time difference, the event in SF is in the wee hours in the morning at 1am, Sept 11 in Beijing.
  • Reply 4 of 46
    I've thought all along that 5C is for china only!
  • Reply 5 of 46

    No, C will not be for China only. Leaked cases were found in Holland..., with english texts. All markets will need more affordable versions.

  • Reply 6 of 46

    you could be right..........all the rumours of the Iphone 5C but it could be only available in China! 

  • Reply 7 of 46
    dnd0psdnd0ps Posts: 253member

    As a Chinese speaker is difficult for me to picture Tim Cook speaking mandarin 0.0

  • Reply 8 of 46
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Seems to me Apple must have made a deal with China Mobile or something and are going to have a special event to announce it. I wonder who from Apple will be at that event? Unless Cook is flying to China right after the event in Cupertino?

    EDIT: according to 9to5Mac the US and Chinese events are only a few hours apart. So I wonder who from Apple will be speaking at that event? Also 9to5Mac speculates this event is probably to announce a China Mobile deal.
  • Reply 9 of 46
    Cook would have to be there wouldn't he? If it's that big of a deal. Flights to Beijing from San Fran would take at least 12 hours. Unless he's borrowing one of Ellison's jets and leaving the US event early (former not likely, latter more likely than the former) he's not going to be there in person in China. Maybe he's going to do the China event via FaceTime ;)
  • Reply 10 of 46
    stuffestuffe Posts: 394member
    I can't see the point of him being at both, anyone interested who can speak English will have caught up on a streamed version of the US event before the China event, but it will be interesting* to see how the event will be presented, given that this has always been a major part of any keynote or press event. I suspect that we will either see Tim present over video, using Chinese slides, with a translator or possibly with a tight script and subtitles, or that he will make a pre-recorded subtitled intro, and leave it to someone native within Apple China to make the stage.

    (*not very, admittedly, in the grand scheme of things)
  • Reply 11 of 46
    100% sure it is China Mobile Agreement
    Maybe the biggest upgrade on the 5C and 5S is that they can support China Mobile own 3G network.
  • Reply 12 of 46
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Cook would have to be there wouldn't he? If its that big of a deal. Flights to Beijing from San Fran would take at least 12 hours. Unless he's borrowing one of Ellison's jets and leaving the US event early (former not likely, latter more likely than the former) he's not going to be there in person in China. Maybe he's going to do the China event via FaceTime ;)
    9to5Mac says the events are only a couple hours apart. If it is a China Mobile deal wouldn't Apple announce that at the US event? That's huge news for Apple and I could see it really pushing the stock higher.
  • Reply 13 of 46
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    palex19 wrote: »
    100% sure it is China Mobile Agreement
    Maybe the biggest upgrade on the 5C and 5S is that they can support China Mobile own 3G network.
    Apple is up almost $8 pre market. Kind of smart for Apple to time this news the way they did with Samsung unveiling new gadgets today.
  • Reply 14 of 46

    I remember saying months ago that an "entry level" iPhone dsigned for the emerging markets would not necessarily be aimed at the US and EU. This may indeed be the case as the "5C" may only be designed for China, India, Brazil, etc., while the "5S" may be for the rest of us. I think this is a very smart strategy...why sell the lesser priced/featured phone in more affluent areas that are already buying the premium options Apple and other manufacturers are producing?

  • Reply 15 of 46
    Investors, get ready!

    Apple will print tons of cash.
    Wow - China, we welcome you.
  • Reply 16 of 46
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Cook would have to be there wouldn't he? If its that big of a deal. Flights to Beijing from San Fran would take at least 12 hours. Unless he's borrowing one of Ellison's jets and leaving the US event early (former not likely, latter more likely than the former) he's not going to be there in person in China. Maybe he's going to do the China event via FaceTime ;)

    Or they could use the Gulfstream it leased from Jobs.
  • Reply 17 of 46
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    I remember saying months ago that an "entry level" iPhone dsigned for the emerging markets would not necessarily be aimed at the US and EU. This may indeed be the case as the "5C" may only be designed for China, India, Brazil, etc., while the "5S" may be for the rest of us. I think this is a very smart strategy...why sell the lesser priced/featured phone in more affluent areas that are already buying the premium options Apple and other manufacturers are producing?
    Hmm...I can't see Apple building a phone just for certain countries. Have they ever done anything like that before?
  • Reply 18 of 46

    Apple builds special versions for specific carriers.

  • Reply 19 of 46
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    selfhealer wrote: »
    I've thought all along that 5C is for china only!

    So you've been wrong all along then. Did you not see the colourful invitation for SF? Apple does not operate like you assume. They are different.
  • Reply 20 of 46
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    dnd0ps wrote: »
    As a Chinese speaker is difficult for me to picture Tim Cook speaking mandarin 0.0

    Is that perhaps because he cannot speak Mandarin? Tim Cook won't be doing the Chinese keynote.
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