When I read your posts, it sounds like Apple needs to figure out how to enter China. I get no hint that they did $6.7 billion in the last quarter or that revenues grew 67% YoY. Yes, Apple is now in China with a special status like Tiffany or Rolex. If most people in China wear Rolex Presidential Day Date 18 ct solid gold, Rolex is not a status symbol anymore. It would be just a watch. Or if most people in th US up to the lower class drive Lexus, it is just a car.
Therefore, getting agreement with China Mobile, which eventually will happen is double edged sword in the long run. CM has over 670M subscribers, double US population. If half of them switch to a smart phones and let's just say to iPhones, the prestigous status would errode. To be in China for the long haul, you really have to understand the Chinese culture, which some times defies logic. Why is Buick a status symbol and sells well to the upper/middle class while the demand for Cadillac is low?
I could post more, but right now Seeking Alpha has invited me to write a comprehensive evaluation of Apple. I have participated in SA for a couple of years under different user name. There is a lot of research required to write the article and I don't know whether I am in the mood to do that. Should it come to fruition, I'll post the link. |
