Apple in China: "We are only scratching the surface"

Apple in China: "We are only scratching the surface"

Apple's business is booming in China: Crowds fill the Apple Store in the trendy Sanlitun Village, Beijing. At the launch of the iPad 2 rush was so great that a glass door was shattered and four people were injured. In the last quarter of Apple's sales increased six-fold in Greater China with the People's Republic, Hong Kong and Taiwan at 3.8 billion U.S. dollars. In China, many places are already appearing fake Apple stores that rival the originals in terms of equipment and often offer little. There are four official shops so far in Beijing and Shanghai. Two more are to follow later this year in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

"It's a great opportunity for Apple, and I firmly believe that we are only scratching the surface right now," said Tim Cook, the successor to Steve Jobs at the top of the second-largest company by market capitalization in the world. The opportunities in China were "incredible," media quoted the future head of Apple. Already been contributed to the greater China at a tenth the global business of the company from Cupertino. Catch Up For nowhere in the world Apple stores run as well as in China.

In addition to the four official shops in China, many retailers and electronics markets sell Apple products en masse. The volume of gray imports is difficult to estimate. Chinese traders do today advertisement for the iPhone 5, without having been officially announced when it will come on the market. Finally, the demand for the iPhone 4 in white paint was so great that even touts buying up the stock of official shops in order to send cell phones to sell off the mark even further.

Among the 800 million mobile users in China has reached the iPhone, especially in the rich cities of a cult status, never reached the other brands. Apple products are considered cool, demonstrate high social status. Anyway luxury brands anywhere in the world today make such good business in China. While well-known brands such as Gucci handbags and Louis Vuitton are often forged and can be worn by anyone with a real show Chinese iPhone cases that they have done it.

The Apple store in China was running slow for years - also because of restrictions on products with Wi-Fi or 3G reception. About dark channels from Hong Kong and the United States, demand has been met, which made the devices expensive. The devices come mainly from China. Apple does not like other manufacturers also produce in the People's Republic and also includes many components such as displays and microprocessors from the region - and has also repeatedly criticized the working conditions in Chinese high-tech factories can hold.

In Hong Kong, where Apple products are due to low tariffs and taxes significantly cheaper, the business has been run primarily on the retailer or online store. Since June, but Apple is building the mall of the International Finance Centre (IFC Mall) on the first official store in the port city. He will be opened by the end of the month. 40,000 visitors are expected there every day - four times more than the average in the U.S.. Two more stores will be planned according to unconfirmed media reports in Hong Kong. Shanghai will also receive a third Apple Store. Worldwide, the company now has over 320 stores.