“Apple Computer Inc. replaced the managing director of its China unit and made other changes aimed at increasing growth in the country, a spokesman said Friday,” Dan Nystedt reports for InfoWorld Nederland.
“The company named Simon Hong the new managing director of Apple China, and said the company’s Asia Pacific operations will all report directly to Apple Vice President John Brandon from now on,” Nystedt reports. Apple “declined to comment on local news reports that Apple had replaced several key managers in what would amount to a complete overhaul of its China office.”
Full article here.
“News has been released about the dismissals of several senior officials of Apple China, namely He Zhongqiang, Apple’s Asia-Pacific vice president, Li Bin, general manager in China, channel director in China, three general managers in east, south and southwest China and quite a few personnel at manager’s level,” People’s Daily Online. “Apple’s public statement authenticates the news about the dismissals is true but the reason is unknown.”
Full article here.
Have you ever tried to visit the Apple China site? Good luck. Hope you have things like maybe reading ten pages of MacDailyNews or something similar to keep you occupied while you wait for the Apple China site to load.
Try it. http://www.apple.com.cn/itunes/ … It’s slower than the coming of the iTunes phone, even. No wonder management is getting a shakeout in that place. lol.
Yet another reorganization of Apple Asia execs. Let’s hope this reorg actually results in some positive and much-needed changes in the way Macs are marketed in China. Past reorgs have had a tendency of changing nameplates but doing nothing for sales or marketing or even business practices.
Does anyone in China use a Mac?
“…Have you ever tried to visit the Apple China site? …”
Loads fast for me.
Really? Loads fast? hmmm .. I tried it twenty times. Maybe it doesn’t like older Macs .. or Canada .. or me … or something.
“gwm” is proof that anyone with a functioning keyboard and enough synapses to move his fingers can post a message – a modicum of intelligence is not required.
1.) Are you aware of the hard and fast demising lines that exist between Chinese “internet” and the rest of the world? The filtering system applied in China by the Chinese government is “strong” to put it mildly. You can’t possible expect to access resources from a Chinese hosted site at the same rate that you’d access Western websites. To think otherwise is absurd. That having been said… I’m in the Western U.S. and am able to open the Chinese iTunes page with no difficulty at all. Did you ever consider running a trace-route before you started running away with your mouth?
2.) The outgoing Apple Asia Pac leadership turned the Apple AP market into the fast growing segment in all of Apple… and they did it in less than two years. Compared to markets such as the U.S. and Europe, the sales weren’t on par… but that’s also because the commitment from Cupertino was a fraction of what is afforded elsewhere. Dollar for dollar, a multiple of growth was generated in Apple AP over any other segment. “gwm,” read the financial reports before you swallow anymore of your feet.
3.) The problem is and has always been, Apple’s one sided view on how to build business… you see, the world isn’t flat. What works in the U.S. or Europe… or even Japan… does NOT work in Asia Pac. The outgoing Apple AP leadership knew this and when they tried to build business the way its needed in AP.. and China specifically.. it ruffled feathers and (fragile) egos in Cupertino.
4.) A much more informative article has yet to be picked up by MDN…. but macnn.com has already linked it. From The Register: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/19/apple_china_reshuffle/
Specifically, read this: “Apple hasn’t formally commented on the restructure, but the Sina report cites local sources who suggest the approach to sales taken by Bin and Zhongqiang diverged too far from Apple’s broader international strategy, rather than a failure to meet performance targets. While Apple’s premium-pricing strategy may work in the West, it doesn’t work in China, local analysts say – Apple needs to adapt its approach to the Chinese market, they add, not try and force the region to accomodate its US-centric strategy.”
China has 1.5 billion people. The Chinese economy is growing faster than any other on the planet. China must be a priority for Apple and doing things the Chinese way IN China, must be accepted by Apple. Anything short of that is gross negligence. A specific management change is needed… but not in China.
The MDN Magic word is five. As in China is five times bigger than the U.S…. and Cupertino is blowing it there.
China must be a priority for Apple and doing things the Chinese way IN China, must be accepted by Apple. Anything short of that is gross negligence.
—-
You don’t sell iPods to the same people who make them.
Okay, I’m just being cute.. but you get my drift. East Asia, in general.. has Japan, Taiwan, South Korea.. but beyond that.. the low-wage, emerging countries, like China. The American Economy by and large is founded on these low wage countries (ahem, Africa).. don’t expect to be hawking $300 MP3 players to 1.5 BILLION chinese…
The Shanghai and Beijing wealthy already have them.. but SJ isn’t gonna be holding any press conferences out in the Communist wasteland anytime soon..
Most of China is dirt-poor.. you’re using Enderle logic assuming they have the means to buy millions of iPods, JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF CHINESE.
I think the correct order is.. running water first, then iPod..
whooohooo ….
Looks like Insider doesn’t like me whining about draggy Chinese websites. Ah well, all I was looking for there was a hint of maybe some cool Chinese music related Apple news, ya know? No sweat .. I’ll deal with the slow site load anyway. Just sayin’ eh?
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Insider:
You must really BE an “insider”, since you took “gwm” to task for some fairly innocent questions. Obviously these are sore points for you; just try to remember that not everyone on this sight knows – and is thus as frustrated by – the politics of Cupertino as you. Take a breath.
Here’s my contribution: I was dating a girl from China not too long ago. While she was here visiting, she decided (after using my G4 PowerBook for a few days) that she wanted to replace her old Sony Vaio for a 12″ iBook. Well, we called 1-800-My-Apple and were promptly told that shipping her computer to China was impossible if she was ordering from the states. Further, she couldn’t order and ship it to home from the US online site either, AND there was of course no ‘Apple Store – China’. In the end, we calculated the cost of having it sent to me, then resending it via FedEx to her company in PRC, and found the increased cost bareable. However, I have to say that if she hadn’t gotten quite a bit of hands on experience with my PB she almost certainly wouldn’t have gone through all that guff, and would have wound up with another Vaio.
So, whoever is responsible – management here, or in China itself – for Apple’s present Asia strategy as it pertains to China, I can say with some authority that it’s due for an overhaul. Here’s hopeing things start looking up!
Mike… you’re on the right track… sorta…
> You don’t sell iPods to the same people who make them.
Agreed. 100%. And this is the message that is not recognized in Cupertino. China is not populated by people looking to buy toys… but what is booming in China is business. And Apple AP *WAS* headed by guys who knew all about selling to business and building markets with business solutions. After all.. they built IBM’s business in the same region.
Its the Cupertino mindset that says “everything is iPod.” This was not happening in Apple AP… and now you see the result.
> Okay, I’m just being cute.. but you get my drift. East Asia, in general.. has
> Japan, Taiwan, South Korea.. but beyond that.. the low-wage, emerging
> countries, like China. The American Economy by and large is founded on these
> low wage countries (ahem, Africa).. don’t expect to be hawking $300 MP3
> players to 1.5 BILLION chinese…
Exactly. But the growing economies of AP and China in specific have booming business across all commerce levels… and this is where Apple needs to be.
> The Shanghai and Beijing wealthy already have them.. but SJ isn’t gonna be
> holding any press conferences out in the Communist wasteland anytime soon..
We all know that… and that was never the issue.
> Most of China is dirt-poor.. you’re using Enderle logic assuming they have the
> means to buy millions of iPods, JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF CHINESE.
Ummm… you’re being grossly presumptuous and arrogant. Did you see me say anything about iPod? Nope. We’re more on the same page than you think… next time ask what is being suggested rather than making broad and sweeping assumptions that lack any foundation.
> I think the correct order is.. running water first, then iPod..
iPod is way the hell down at the bottom of my list.
The latest MDN magic word is “extent.” As in, the “extent” of Apple’s business in China shouldn’t be limited to iPod.
Odyssey67… what sort of trip are you on?
> You must really BE an “insider”, since you took “gwm” to task for some fairly
> innocent questions.
gwm didn’t post a question… he said flat out that the Chinese iTunes website was slow and that because of this the management had it coming to them… so to speak.
> Obviously these are sore points for you
No. I have nothing to do with any of what was previously being discussed. What is a sore point for me is Apple making stupid mistakes… and then people such as gwm making sweeping claims as if they know what they’re talking about – when they clearly don’t have a clue.
> just try to
> remember that not everyone on this sight knows – and is thus as frustrated by
> – the politics of Cupertino as you. Take a breath.
Inhale… exhale… feelin’ good…
> Here’s my contribution: I was dating a girl from China not too long ago. While
> she was here visiting, she decided (after using my G4 PowerBook for a few
> days) that she wanted to replace her old Sony Vaio for a 12″ iBook. Well, we
> called 1-800-My-Apple and were promptly told that shipping her computer to
> China was impossible if she was ordering from the states.
Yep. But that’s not an Apple issue… that’s a trade and tariff issue. As it is… you could have pulled the computer out of Hong Kong or Singapore… or from a local Apple China dealer.
> Further, she
> couldn’t order and ship it to home from the US online site either, AND there
> was of course no ‘Apple Store – China’. In the end, we calculated the cost of
> having it sent to me, then resending it via FedEx to her company in PRC, and
> found the increased cost bareable. However, I have to say that if she hadn’t
> gotten quite a bit of hands on experience with my PB she almost certainly
> wouldn’t have gone through all that guff, and would have wound up with another
> Vaio.
All you’re doing is supporting my point… Apple needs to be focusing on systems for China… not gadgets.
> So, whoever is responsible – management here, or in China itself – for Apple’s
> present Asia strategy as it pertains to China, I can say with some authority
> that it’s due for an overhaul. Here’s hopeing things start looking up!
Sad thing is… the crew that was working on exactly what you want… has been forced out.
Oooohhh… another interesting MDN Magic Word… “sense.” As in… well… too many examples I could list…
Listen Buckwheat,
I’ll make all the sweeping generalizations I want. Haven’t you ever looked at this site before? Haven’t you seen the wild eyed speculation that gets slung in here on a daily basis? Forgive me pal, but I’ll spout off right along with the rest of ’em.
As for your implication that I might not have a a modicum of intelligence as well as perhaps barely enough synapses to work my fingers on a functioning keyboard … you’re pretty close on all counts, but I am indeed still posting anyway. Your misfortune, I guess.
By the way .. I slam Apple too, and on frequent occassion at that … so relax and enjoy the show. It’s just an Apple News gossip site, eh? But it’s a good one, imho.
> Listen Buckwheat,
And who are you? Butch? Possibly the dog, “Spot?”
> I’ll make all the sweeping generalizations I want.
Because actually saying something accurate would leave you… ummmm… without anything to say?
> Haven’t you ever looked at this site before?
Probably much longer than you ever have…
> Haven’t you seen the wild eyed speculation that gets slung
> in here on a daily basis?
Ummm… the articles aren’t speculative… with the exception of rumors that are infrequently quoted from other sites. MDN is largely a news site.
> Forgive me pal,
Don’t have to and won’t.
> but I’ll spout off right along with the rest of ’em.
Proof the the greatest common dominator is still the lowest…
> As for your implication that I might not have a a modicum of intelligence as
> well as perhaps barely enough synapses to work my fingers on a functioning
> keyboard … you’re pretty close on all counts,
Well, at least we can agree on that.
> but I am indeed still posting anyway. Your misfortune, I guess.
Nahhh… I’ve already put you in your place. Anything else you mutter will purely be noise.
> By the way .. I slam Apple too
Ok. So? You want a cookie?
> and on frequent occassion at that … so relax
As stated earlier… I’m quite relax. You, however, are the hyper twit who keeps replying with nothing to say.
> and enjoy the show. It’s just an Apple News gossip site, eh? But it’s a good
> one, imho.
Ummm… http://www.macosrumors.com is a gossip site. http://www.thinksecret.com is a gossip site. This is a discussion site that affords discussions… which can be frequented from time to time by troll and twits. Case in point, you.
I’m curious if there are any other of my postings besides this particular Apple China topic that you take issue with, Insider? Might as well get it all out there and see if we can’t try to cheer you up a bit.
Regarding my having nothing to say? Indeed. And often too. That comes and goes and yep, I post anyway sometimes, but not always. I’m not real clear what you perceive to be appropriate discussion participation qualifications. No speculation unless the author has real bonafide insider info? Or what?
All that having been said, the Apple China site is still slower than molasses in January. Just like I asserted in my intial posting.
Insider is obviously a boy with a chip – either on his shoulder or in his head – so best we all just get on with our lives on this one. He’s beyond reasonable discussion.