It is no longer news that the Apple iPhone is the most sought after mobile phone in the mobile phone market everywhere in the world. In Asia however, and in China in particular, the phone has failed to replicate what it has gained in terms of acceptance in other markets. According to China Unicom Limited, a company responsible for distributing and selling the product, they have only sold just 100,000 of the mobile phone since the month of October this year.
For a market reputed to be the largest in the world, the figures fall short of expectations, and when you add the fact that the iPhone is a product that sells itself, you can not but imagine what could be the reasons behind this development. Though the iPhone had only managed to sell just a few hundreds of thousands at the initial stages of its release in other countries, the report from China is at least not expected.
One likely reason why the phone may not be gaining wide acceptability may not be unconnected with the huge price tag placed on it. Sources from Dow Jones say that the leverage price which is between $730 -$1,020, excluding discount and services, may be a major factor why sales are that low. As it is, the phone appears to be moving to those market areas where things were hitherto difficult to penetrate, the reason of course not far from the fact that price has been lowered.
The iPhone appears to be doing well in another Asian country, South Korea. To date, the phone has recorded 65,000 sold units and this only took place during the first week it was released into the market. For Paul Wuh, a Samsung Securities analyst covering China Unicom, “for China Unicom, with 144,000,000 subscribers, 100,000 iPhone users aren’t going to do anything for their revenue.” Apple should take note.
