Apple's Cook seeks sales boost in China
Bloomberg
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Updated 8:45 pm, Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook is making his second visit to China in less than 10 months, as the company tries to revive its shrinking share of the world's biggest mobile-phone market. Apple, which has been working on a more affordable smartphone since at least February 2011, is weighing retail prices of $99 to $149 for a device that would debut in late 2013 at the earliest, according to a person familiar with the plan, who asked not to be named because the negotiations are private. Executives at Apple have been particularly interested in building a lower-cost model with less-expensive components as a way to appeal to customers in emerging markets such as China, another person has said. Adding a less-expensive version of the iPhone would be a strategy shift for Apple, which has until now tried to appeal to more budget-conscious customers by cutting the prices of older models. Cook discussed China's information technology industry, global mobile communications and Apple's business in China with ministry head Miao, according to the government statement. The phone maker may agree to a deal with China Mobile when the carrier moves to a fourth-generation wireless network based on Long Term Evolution technology in the second half of the year, suggested Neil Juggins, an analyst at JI Asia Research in Hong Kong. Reported by SFGate 14 hours ago.
Bloomberg
Copyright 2013 Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Updated 8:45 pm, Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook is making his second visit to China in less than 10 months, as the company tries to revive its shrinking share of the world's biggest mobile-phone market. Apple, which has been working on a more affordable smartphone since at least February 2011, is weighing retail prices of $99 to $149 for a device that would debut in late 2013 at the earliest, according to a person familiar with the plan, who asked not to be named because the negotiations are private. Executives at Apple have been particularly interested in building a lower-cost model with less-expensive components as a way to appeal to customers in emerging markets such as China, another person has said. Adding a less-expensive version of the iPhone would be a strategy shift for Apple, which has until now tried to appeal to more budget-conscious customers by cutting the prices of older models. Cook discussed China's information technology industry, global mobile communications and Apple's business in China with ministry head Miao, according to the government statement. The phone maker may agree to a deal with China Mobile when the carrier moves to a fourth-generation wireless network based on Long Term Evolution technology in the second half of the year, suggested Neil Juggins, an analyst at JI Asia Research in Hong Kong. Reported by SFGate 14 hours ago.