Sorry, Apple - China's just not that into your iPhone 5 Apple sold 2 million iPhone 5s in the three days in China after the device went on official sale on Friday. It's a sales figure that is solid, but will not see buyers in the east Asian country replacing Apple's lucrative markets of Europe and the US in a hurry. iPhone 5s in China achieved a market penetration that was just 25 …
While the reg does seem to miss out on big news about Google, like Guido leaving, they generally seem to be nicer to Microsoft, one f their big advertisers (from what I can see). They just mention Apple as many times as possible to get people to look at the site. That's why we get the dumbest and most pointless articles about Apple.
El Reg can't be bothered with immaterial big story, it leaves that to the plagiarising Charles Arthur from the Guardian - the resident Apple Troll to puff up nothing.
Listen to what he says today about Apple non-sales: "sales in world's largest smartphone market beat expectations . He explained that "observers" the launch was "was low-key" - obvious; Apple talk for the huge no-shows.
El Reg goes for the meat, they actually investigate things not just wait for Apple to supply a pre-written story fit for press.
As for Apple, it's a failure as Cupertino doesn't supply the Chinese market needs.
P.S. iThingy 5 just arrived in VietNam - all 6,000 pieces. This in a country where the human population is around 90-million and the handset/cell population (of working units) is 140-million. Another Apple success story?
"Apple sold 2 million iPhone 5s in the three days in China after the device went on official sale on Friday."
2 million, in one country in 3 days? What are you smoking to say this isn't important?
I understand that you are playing to the cheap seats but when Apple ships 2 million units in 3 days and you carp when compared to Samsung that does about 5 million a quarter of the SIII what is the point?
Yet over on Ars Technica....
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Apple's push into China is making some inroads, as indicated by the iPhone 5 launch in China this past weekend. The company announced Monday morning that it sold over 2 million iPhone 5 handsets in greater China in the last three days—a new record launch in that market for Apple. The number is particularly impressive given that the iPhone 5 isn't available on China's largest carrier, China Mobile.
"Customer response to iPhone 5 in China has been incredible, setting a new record with the best first weekend sales ever in China," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "China is a very important market for us and customers there cannot wait to get their hands on Apple products."
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I gotta ask, who's the biased out of reality side here?
China has a market big enough for about 100 million smart phones per year, many of which are cheap and nasty kit that doesn't compete with the iPhone. 2 million out of that number in a weekend isn't to be sneezed at (but I'm sure Ms Leach will try to find some other way of dissmissing that).
When the manufacturer is asking the question "How much less than $100 can I make a smart phone for" then I assure you that the comment is very relevant. The Chinese manufacturers are perfectly able to produce better quality stuff, buy much of their buying public can't afford it.
"cheap and nasty kit that doesn't compete with the iPhone."
Given that Apple fans managed to put up with a phone that, over the years, couldn't do video chat, multitasking, copy/paste, homescreens, picture messaging, 3G, apps, or even be a smartphone at all in its first incarnation, that must be some pretty nasty kit to be criticised.
Or perhaps actually, people are buying smartphones that are more than good enough for their needs, and easily compete with the stuff that Apple puts out. Latest flagship feature, the same but slighty bigger?
As for sales, I don't need to dismiss it - it's simply of zero importance to me. I don't see you worshipping Android or Samsung for their massive Apple-overwhelming sales. Even Nokia sell more phones still - but I bet you'll find a way to dismiss that.
You seem to have confused features with well built or expensive. Having a camera built into your phone doesn't mean that the images that it creates are good, or even usable in some cases.
You also seem to have a very shallow view of the world. The 5 has a much faster CPU and GPU, tougher screen, a back that won't crack, LTE radio, better front camera and bigger screen in a smaller, lighter package. I can't think of a significant bit of hardware that Apple skipped (and no, NFC doesn't count, it's a technology looking for a use).
These cheap Chinese phones tend to be based around ARM11 CPUs, have low resolution resistive touch screens, small amounts of RAM and flash, small batteries and cheap plastic cases. To use a car analogy, there are many people who find that a Proton is sufficient for their needs, and they couldn't afford a BMW or a Mercedes anyway, but that doesn't mean that there's no market for BMWs or that Proton is taking sales from them.
"...Heavily subsidized carrier deals helped Apple set its new Chinese sales record, it’s been suggested, with strong demand for discounted iPhone 5 handsets offsetting low traffic in the company’s own stores..."
Q. And how does this differ from the UK where the vast majority of upmarket phones are carrier subsidised on 2-yr deals?
A. It doesn't at all.
It is a mere "suggestion" - (note: suggestion, not confirmed as fact, possibly merely an idea in the author's mind) which the troll here implies is factual.
Meanwhile, in the UK, it's been suggested that acting as a Leach acolyte will get you out of short trousers more quickly and make doing your homework less of a chore...
Not quite as population != potential customer base. Certainly just because China has a population of 1.3 billion it can't make sense to think that is the potential number of customers. Even ignoring financial resources there is a lot in the demographics that would rule out many people as ever being a customer. It's a bit like saying the market in Hungary is the same as Somalia as both have a population of ~10 million. It totally ignores factors like per capita GDP, which is about $19k for Hungary vs $600 in Somalia, and median age, over 40 and under 18 respectively. But sure, if your brush is broad enough it's the same thing, right?
Only a couple of people queued to buy one it seems...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/us-apple-china-iphone-idUSBRE8BC1FD20121214
"Unlike the crowds that the iPhone 5 debut drew in many cities around the world since September, just one person was waiting at the Apple store in Shanghai's financial district when its doors opened at 9 a.m. on Friday."
I'm personally calling BS on Apple's numbers, which I'm guessing because it's China, can be easily faked... to keep shareholders happy, and stop Apple stock sliding even further.
Have you given any thought to the possibility that iPhone sales are not higher because, for the average Chinese citizen, paying $700 for a cell phone is just not an option? China is still a poor country. Perhaps you should travel there sometime. The average monthly salary for a college educated engineer is $2500, while the cost of living has increased dramatically in China. Yes, there are some Chinese citizens who have the disposable income to pay for an iPhone, but this is still a very small percentage as compared to the population of an average Chinese city - even Beijing or Shanghai.
Average income in China (2011) about $5000, and 170 million still below poverty line (about $500/year). So not unreasonable that a lot of people want the best they can get for under $100 rather than the most expensive thing on the market, even if it is better.
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