Thursday, January 31, 2013

China demands an iPhone Phablet. Now!

On 30 Jan, 2013 By brian s hall

I've been consistent -- and nagging -- about an "iPhone Phablet" this year. I've said that this is a case where the market is pulling Apple. In particular, China and Asia demand that larger display.

In my piece earlier this month for Unwired View, I noted that the China factor was driving much of my thoughts on this subject.

Now, MIC Gadget chimes in with the rather plainly titled: "Apple Needs an New iPhone with Bigger Screen at a Decent Price in China".?

Apple?s revenue in China, including neighboring Hong Kong and Taiwan, totaled $7.3 billion in last quarter, up 60 percent from a year earlier. But there are signs that Apple?s vaunted cachet in the world?s most populous nation is waning. The iPhone 5 have drawn a relatively subdued response from Chinese consumers. According to Taobao.com, the biggest online marketplace in China, iPhone 5 transactions have fallen by half since it went on sale in mid-December. The iPhone is also losing out as consumers opt for bigger screens to watch Chinese soap operas while travelling, or affordable smartphones in the sub-1,000 yuan (US$160) category made by local vendors ?

?

Around half of the more than 60 million smartphones shipped in China in the third quarter last year had screens that were bigger than 4 inches, based on IDC?s latest figures.?

This year.

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