While the initial sales rush on Apple’s new devices among Chinese consumers has slowed, the news may help generate fresh enthusiasm for the iPhone in China. That’s great for Apple, but not such great news for some smaller smartphone vendors, who continue to be hammered by vicious increases in memory and other component prices.
A critical catalyst at a critical time
Speaking almost two years ago when industry observers had anticipated an Apple Intelligence launch in China would take place earlier, Morgan Stanley then suggested the Alibaba partnership would be “a critical catalyst for Apple’s competitive standing in China.”
Other than painful price increases, not much has changed, and the introduction can only help consolidate the iPhone’s appeal in China. That’s good for Apple’s customers there, and great news for Apple’s investors everywhere else. It may even do something to retain a little US soft power.
This story originally appeared on Computerworld
