BEIJING: Smuggling of iPhone 6 into China was on the rise when it was launched in the other countries, but now the grey market of Apple’s new device has flopped as Chinese people has rejected to buy it illegally.
Smugglers, after getting pre-order phones from Hong Kong, used to sell in China $325 more than the original price. Apple’s iPhone 6 has also failed to attract Chinese buyers and very few guys want to keep it in their pocket. The Chinese government has not yet given nod to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and late approval might create problem for Apple’s standing in the Chinese high-end smart phone market in future.
Despite 10 million sale of iPhone 6 in the world market in a very short period, the US tech giant’s new device is facing several flaws including software and ‘bent’ problems.
On the other hand, Kitty Fok, Managing Director of research firm IDC, said that there were 50 million iPhone users in China, and she estimates that Apple will sell about 4 million phones a month. But both Samsung and Apple are feeling the impacts of growing local competitors. Samsung’s sales dropped in China last year, and Xiaomi became the country’s largest smart phone maker.
