Apple to reportedly miss internal launch target for Chinese iPhone 6

Posted:
in iPhone edited September 2014
According to a report on Wednesday, Apple intended to debut the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in the important Chinese market on Sept. 9, but those plans have been delayed as the company awaits regulatory approval for the new handsets.




Citing unnamed executives from three major Chinese cellular carriers, The New York Times reports Apple informed telecoms that its much-anticipated next-generation iPhone lineup will not be available for sale in the country on Sept. 19, when the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are scheduled for release in the U.S. and other major markets.

When Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller announced the iPhone 6 on Tuesday, China was noticeably absent from the list of launch countries, which include the United States, Canada, France, Germany Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and the UK.

Sources claim Apple was shooting for a Sept. 19 debut, but only today informed carriers of the change in plans, failing to provide an explanation for the delay. A sales manager at China Telecom told the publication that Apple said, "There are some details which are not ready," but would not elaborate on the reported issues.

The NYT goes on to cite news reports out of China claiming the country's Ministry for Industry and Information Technology had not yet approved the iPhone 6 for sale, also noting that the product is not listed on the agency's website.

Further, the Chinese version of the Online Apple Store does not provide information on preorder sales for the devices, something prominently advertised in the U.S. and other launch locales as starting on Sept. 12 .

If Apple is indeed pushing back the Chinese iPhone 6 launch due to regulatory problems, the delay could be detrimental in gaining new subscribers in the burgeoning market. Interest is already high, however, as China Mobile reported over 33,000 reservations for the new iPhone as of Sept. 2, well before the device lineup was even announced.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    I think the 6 plus needs to ramp up into full production before they can go on sale in China. I think in Asia, people want big units.
  • Reply 2 of 17
    Sounds like they just need someone to sign-off on the phones. Probably time for Tim Cook to hop on a plane and get this straightened out.
  • Reply 3 of 17
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member

    Kind of ironic considering where they're made, and that half of the country seems to have had access to these for the past few weeks in order to post pics on the rumor websites, and yet the "Ministry for Industry and Information Technology" hasn't been able to get their hands on one?

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    If Apple is indeed pushing back the Chinese iPhone 6 launch, the delay could be detrimental in gaining new subscribers in the burgeoning market.

     

    Uh, yeah, not buying it.  These are going to be backordered everywhere for months

     

    The delay for the Chinese market may be an issue when production catches up to demand, but I suspect that's going to take quite a while...

  • Reply 4 of 17
    Can't Apple do anything right?
  • Reply 5 of 17
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Detrimental? Are you mental? People will wait.
  • Reply 6 of 17
    My guess it is China's concern over the location services issue and other "privacy" concerns. It is a way of getting Apple to ensure that the phone complies with Chinese government control over the communication within the country.
  • Reply 7 of 17
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member

    Kind of surprising - with all the leaks, I just assumed everyone in China already had one!

  • Reply 8 of 17
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    Obviously somebody's bribe hasn't been cleared by the bank yet...
  • Reply 9 of 17

    "those plans have been delayed as the company awaits regulatory approval for the new handsets."

     

    Yeah, I'm sure Chinese authorities will get right on that ASAP…  :rolleyes:

  • Reply 10 of 17
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GTR View Post



    Obviously somebody's bribe hasn't been cleared by the bank yet...

    More like Samsung/Xiomi's bribes went through.....

  • Reply 11 of 17
    Got to give time for Chinese copycat companies with party juice to ready models.
  • Reply 12 of 17
    It's punishment for factory [s]theft[/s] leaks.
  • Reply 13 of 17
    It's punishment for factory theft leaks.
    And last year it wasn't? Honestly when there's back orders for months, it's easy to assume that this will make no noticeable affect if it's only delayed a week or two, but hey, it is true to note that one of these reasons apple wants production in U.S. They have better control over leaks.

    I just have to note that we know Asia, the smaller of the world cultures, will be biggest buyer of this 5.5 inch version.
  • Reply 14 of 17
    I love iPhone and have a high expectation on Apple, but the biggest challenge for Apple now is probably the short of innovation. Apple products are growing more similarity to Android.Personally, I think iPhone 4s is the most classic one.
    http://www.teatat.com/comparison-between-iphone-6-and-nexus/
  • Reply 15 of 17
    Shop the new Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus at freeappleiphone6.com. Find sites offering best deals and lowest market price for iPhone 6 only at freeappleiphone6.com
  • Reply 16 of 17
    Umm, yeah, this is what happens when you deal with a communist, totalitarian "people's republic" LOL.
  • Reply 17 of 17
    Big deal. Just let the iPhone resellers meet market demand like they used to do. Make extra phones available in US stores and they'll end up in China by breakfast the next day.
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