“China Unicom Ltd., one of the country’s three big state-owned phone companies, said first half profit jumped by more than half as it signed up more third-generation users and customers increased their usage of mobile data services,” The Associated Press reports.
“The Beijing-based company, which faces fierce competition from its two rivals, is focusing its marketing efforts on low-cost handsets to woo more customers after losing the exclusive right last year to sell the iPhone in China,” AP reports. “Apple’s popular smartphone allows carriers to earn big profits from data usage but they also have to provide hefty handset subsidies for customers who sign up for contracts.”
AP reports, “The company has turned to lower priced handsets to woo customers, though the new subscribers appear to be spending less on data services.”
MacDailyNews Take: No, really? You don’t say. Amazing. (sarcasm)
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As always, Apple customers are the cream of the crop.
China selling to Chinese …. Apple and I can live with that for a awhile as their populace learns yet again that quality matters 🙂
Come on 5S!
So, China Mobile, you still sitting on that contract with Apple? Sign now or bleed more customers and profits. Your 67% of the market in China still holding? Is that 67% of market or of the profits in the market? One matters the other will shut you down in the end!
Something is very wrong with the potential China Mobile/Apple connection, and I just can’t figure out what it is. Personality conflict between management(s)? Subsidy/purchase price concerns? Volume guarantees? WHAT IS IT?
And could the 5C/5S possible be the breakthrough devices we’ve all been waiting for in this strange matter? Answers?
I wonder if Apple, for some reason sees no future in regressing to a 3G network rather than 4G as are the other two Co.