“Apple has long faced strong headwinds in China, where fierce competition and regulatory hurdles have made life difficult for the U.S. tech giant,” Yue Wang reports for Forbes. “But now, in an effort to boost sales of its iPhone, the company has embarked on a new charm offensive in the world’s second-largest economy.”
“Apple announced last week that it will build two more research centers in Shanghai and Suzhou, pledging to invest at least 3.5 billion yuan ($507 million) in research and development inside China,” Wang reports. “The announcement came as CEO Tim Cook was attending the government-hosted China Development Forum, where he defended globalization in a rare public speech and called on Beijing to open up further to foreign investment. He also held a behind-the-door meeting with Xu Lin, director of the Cyberspace Administration of China.”
“Apple’s new red aluminum iPhone also appears to have won over Chinese fans,” Wang reports. “The phone, part of the company’s decade-long partnership with (RED), which contributes to the Global Fund to fight HIV and AIDS, has created a buzz in the Chinese social space. The reason? Chinese tradition views red as an auspicious color reserved for weddings and New Year celebrations.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Those red iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus units should do very, very well in China and in many other countries around the world.
SEE ALSO:
Apple introduces iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition; iPhone SE doubles storage for same price – March 21, 2017
Apple CEO Tim Cook defends globalization, walks tightrope on privacy in rare public speech in China – March 18, 2017
Apple to spend $507 million to set up two more research centers, boost investment in in China – March 17, 2017
Apple removes New York Times apps from App Store in China at behest of Chinese government – January 4, 2017
China dethrones U.S. to become the largest market in the world for iOS App Store revenue – October 20, 2016
Apple to set up second R&D center in China – October 12, 2016
Apple’s first R&D Center in China will develop hardware, employ 500 – September 29, 2016
Apple CEO Cook ‘pretty confident’ of soon resuming movie and book sales in China – May 3, 2016
Apple’s biggest China problem: iPhone’s strong encryption – May 2, 2016
The New Yorker: What Apple has to fear from China – April 30, 2016
Why Carl Icahn is wrong about Apple and China – April 29, 2016
Carl Icahn out of Apple over worries about China’s ‘dictatorship’ government – April 29, 2016
Apple stock falls as Carl Icahn dumps all of his shares – April 29, 2016
Carl Icahn dumps all of his Apple shares; stock drops – April 28, 2016
China could slam door on Apple, says top global risk expert – April 25, 2016
China’s increasing censorship hits Apple, but Apple might punch back – April 22, 2016
China shutters Apple’s online book and movie services – April 22, 2016
Bejing to soon report negotiations with Apple’s CEO near complete, confirming plans to replace Apple icon with hammer and sickle for new Chinese RED iPhone. This follows this week’s news of Microsoft planning to design browser especially for Chinese customer’s desire for censorship.
What a relief, it’s a much better alternative than the stars and skidmarks that could be impregnated on a device that robs you of all personal information and tortures you while you talk.
“Impregnated.” What an odd word to employ in the context of spy devices. “Skidmarks” is hardly better. But I approve; the U.S. Government may be guilty of rape and torture, and need to be held accountable for such. But. Why no disapproval for Russia, after recent blatant murders of Putin opponents? Is it because they are habitual murderers, and therefore not hypocritical? Whereas the Americans claim purity and are thereby hypocritical? I wonder if your partisanship is based on this, mere hypocrisy, rather than on the universal love of Gaia you profess.
Thanks for your post Herself. You bring up my lack of commentary about Russia, well let’s check the current geo-political MDN headlines.
I count roughly 7 top level topics about your nation (the chump, CIA and so on), one on China, two on India and one on Turkey, sort of. No top level post on Russia, that could be why I haven’t made a comment on it along the lack of comments I’ve made about Sweden, Iceland, France, Italy, Spain… shall I go on or is it clear enough that maybe you should be asking MDN about that.
Actually the last MDN topic concerning Apple and Russia was that Russia found Apple guilty of price fixing and on that topic I have no comment as of yet on that topic until sentencing.
Russia is indeed scum but they do have the knack of getting the job done without much show. Successful assassinations (if indeed the government is involved), successful invasions, like Crimea, taken without loss of civilian life, and in Syria, well they were invited by the current government to intervene what a contrast to Iraq, where you weren’t invited and where you’ve slaughtered thousands upon thousands of innocent lives. In other words, Russia doesn’t show off like your country does and gets the job done, whereas your nation, well it’s all show, with no substance to it. Hows that search for that Iraqi weapons of mass destruction working out for you? Still haven’t found it? Funny you’ve been slaughtering people there for over a decade you think you would have found something by now I mean other than the 5,000 or so ancient rusted out weapons of a previous program, weapons of mass destruction by the way that were designed by your nation.
Your nation voted for the UN Declaration of Human Rights while Russia abstained, so yes the hypocrisy comes once again for your failure to walk the talk.
Now I really should talk about Iceland, because that’s one of the many spots that has signed the UN Declaration of Human Rights and perhaps much to your surprise, they actually follows it, along with other fine nations. I find it very interesting that you want me to comment on other scum nations instead of requesting me to extol the virtues of other great nations of the free and civilized world but I guess that is what happens when you are at the bottom of the barrel lost without a moral or ethical compass.
A scale of respect might help you at this stage.
1. Highly Respected: Nations that support the Declaration of Human Rights and follow it, like Iceland. They talk the walk.
2. Respected: Nations that support the Declaration of Human Rights but have some internal challenges, like the Philippines (internal drug wars).
3. Not Respected: Nations that don’t support the Declaration of Human Rights, like Russia.
4. Bottom of the barrel scum: Nations that support the Declaration of Human Rights but don’t follow it. That’s where your country is on my scale of things in case you are wondering.
One more thing, your nation does not need to be held accountable for the acts against humanity and the atrocities you inflict because you are so above the law, hiding behind that wall of superior weaponry like the gutless cowards you are. A different sort of reckoning will be required to take care of the flotsamic debris your nation has become.
Have a great weekend.
Please keep in mind, that, although most of your criticism has merit, most of the citizens of the US are not as you describe. Instead, they would most wholeheartedly follow and implement the Declaration of Human Rights if we, the MAJORITY of the American people were in control of our government. Instead, we have a small handful of billionaire sociopaths that have worked hard for decades to undermine our democracy to their benefit. Sadly, they, a tiny minority, have implemented their schemes, in part by nurturing fear and confusion in the ignorant and distressed (which they keep ignorant by relentlessly chipping away at our education system, and which they keep distressed by manipulating their constituents to vote against the very issues that would lift their lives). In this way, they put a stranglehold on our good country. It is their despicable ugliness that is the American face to the world! Believe me, the majority of Americans are sickened with embarrassment that this is what the world sees. Please forgive the manipulated followers who support these vile vermin; they know not what they do. Any nation can succumb to poison ideas delivered by charismatic leaders, including yours! Our nation is full of wonderful world citizens, we are just sick right now. Have hope for us and help us find the right path! There are millions of good people here who have not succumb to this madness!
Thank you T for your post. Indeed I am well aware of your insight, and it chagrins me to see your statement about the government doing atrocious things that I believe a good portion of citizens do not or no longer agree with.
Forgiveness is a given regardless of knowing what they do or not.
I realize there is a certain malaise in your country right now, a malaise that I’ve seen shortly after the second 9-11 and that continues to this day. You are correct that anyone is potentially susceptible to dishonest charismatic leaders who may not wish the best for their people.
I hope your nation heals and gets back on track. I believe in the power of the people, and at the grass roots level there is much that can be done.
Thank you so much for your post, and seeing the validity of my critique, and hopefully there will be a way to regain the path towards a humane future for all on the planet.
Your post is a breath of fresh air, thank you for making it.
They also want the number ‘8’ (which sounds like the word for ‘prosperity’ in Chinese).
iPhone 8 is going to be big for that.
Boy, are all those homosexuals feeling stupid right now – they thought the ‘Red’ was all theirs.
Apparently they forgot ‘Red’ is the color of commies everywhere, which is why the media no Democrats repainted their maps blue…the color was too close to home.
Its so funny that you should say that when the current trainwreck of an administration is as treasonisticly close to the Kremlin as any administration has ever been! I mean, wtf!
You know, Trump wanted tanks and missile launchers in his inauguration parade, for gods sake! … modeled after every communist regime ever! Again, WTF!
I just can’t understand why all you Trump supporters who so want the callus, authoritarian government your ass-clowns in office are chaotically attempting to create didn’t just take the easy route and simply emmigrate to Russia instead of trying to transform an entire nation into a Russian surrogate!
We liberals are in no way aligned with communism. We love our good country, our good DEMOCRACY, as much or more than you apparently do! We want justice and fairness for all citizens! Why is that so bad? You hardline republicans seem to disdain the concept of compassion and empathy and have embraced instead, obstruction, paranoia, racism, homophobia, and self-destructive narcissism. Keep in mind your life is a blank canvas; you can paint a beautiful picture or an ugly one. Why do you push so hard to create such an ugly picture, i.e., ugly world? I just don’t get it!
BTW- My brother is gay, some of my friends are gay, and every one of them is is a fine, upstanding citizen! They are just plain people just like you, they just do different things than you do. That is their private life and it does no harm to you and is none of your business. Homosexuals do not deserve your ignorant denigration! Yes, my brother and my friends are different from you, they are great, wonderful, positive people … and you’re not.
The proceeds from Product(RED) go to the Global Fund, which spends most of it in Africa, where HIV is overwhelmingly transmitted through heterosexual contact between prostitutes and men who infect their wives. Those women would infect their children if not for the anti-retroviral drugs the Fund provides.
I’m not sure if handsomesmitty thinks that all babies should die or only black babies. Oddly, I bet he calls himself pro-life.
The old phrase of “Better dead than Red” has long been forgotten by most. Maybe many of you are too young to have heard it when it was in fashion to be yelling the phrase.