Asia Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Apple's Asia-Pacific profits reportedly soaring

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jun 28th, 2011)

Apple might be growing in the US thanks to brisk sales of the MacBook Air and the expansion of the iPhone 4 to Verizon Wireless, but in Asia-Pacific, the Cupertino company is exploding. Over the past five years, Apple's revenue has climbed from US$14 billion in 2005 to $64 billion in 2010. ...

China urges Foxconn to ensure worker safety

by Dana Franklin (May 25th, 2011)

It's been another rough week for Foxconn, Apple's biggest manufacturing partner. After an explosion at a Foxconn factory killed three workers last Friday, the Chinese government urged the manufacturer and other Taiwanese companies to better ensure the safety of their employees. "We hope ...

Apple retail partner Foxlink to double footprint in Asia

by Dana Franklin (May 13th, 2011)

Apple's reach in Asia is about to grow bigger, according to a report from DigiTimes published earlier today. Foxlink, one of Apple's component suppliers and primary retail partners in Asia, revealed plans to expand its chain of Apple specialty shops in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South ...

White iPhone reportedly sells out in China

by Kelly Hodgkins (Apr 29th, 2011)

Apple kicked off sales of the white iPhone 4 yesterday and the launch in China was marked by long lines and steady sales. According to interviews from those in line, many Asian consumers passed on the black version of the handset and waited for the white variant to make its debut. Sales were so ...

Apple keeping iPhone 5 suppliers mum about launch date

by Kelly Hodgkins (Apr 8th, 2011)

In a research note, Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities suggests Apple is being extra secretive with its Asian suppliers when ordering parts for the iPhone 5 and is still quietly preparing the next generation handset for a June or July launch. White writes, "Although we do not have ...

Apple's touch panel demand helped delay RIMs PlayBook

by Kelly Hodgkins (Apr 7th, 2011)

RIM announced its PlayBook tablet last year, and eager BlackBerry fans have been waiting months for this QNX-based tablet to debut. According to a rumor from Digitimes, this wait was made even longer thanks to Apple and its stranglehold on the touch panel market. Asian supply chain sources ...

Cover lens supply key for 2011 iPad 2 shipment goal

by Kelly Hodgkins (Apr 6th, 2011)

A report out of Digitimes suggests the supply of cover lenses for touch panel modules may influence Apple's future production rate of its popular iPad 2. Sales of the iPad 2 have exceeded expectation, and Apple reportedly shipped 2.4 to 2.5 million tablets in March alone. Conservative ...

iPod nano rumored to get a camera

by Kelly Hodgkins (Apr 4th, 2011)

The latest rumor out of Asia suggests the iPod nano may keep its boxy shape and get its camera back. Those who keep track of the history of Apple's popular MP3 player will remember the player got an integrated camera in 2009. These modifications were quickly removed in 2010 when the player ...

Jetstar airline to offer in-flight iPads in April

by David Quilty (Feb 15th, 2011)

Back in June 2010 we first reported on a pilot program by Qantas Airways' low-cost airline Jetstar to offer iPad rentals as in-flight entertainment, and now we have learned that Jetstar will finally start offering them in April for AUD$10 per flight. According to Australian Business Traveler, the ...

Hon Hai to expand retail chain, open 500 Apple licensed stores in Asia

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jan 28th, 2011)

A report out of Digitimes suggests that Cybermart, a retail arm of Hon Hai which also owns Foxconn, has recently received approval as an Apple-licensed retailer in the Asia-pacific region. The retailer intends to sell Apple products in up to 500 new stores planned for China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. ...

Analyst: Apple to expand the iPhone to new carriers, boost sales in Asia

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jan 28th, 2011)

Toni Sacconaghi of Sanford Bernstein said the Apple iPhone is enjoying wide-spread acceptance in Asia that is "on par with the U.S. in some cases." Recent figures from IDC suggest that 12% of all cell phones sold in Japan are iPhones and South Korea's KT confirmed earlier this week that it has ...

Apple Stores in China contribute to Apple's record quarterly sales

by Rick Martin (Jan 19th, 2011)

If you could get past news of Steve Jobs taking a medical leave of absence, Apple's earnings call yesterday was not too shabby. With retail sales records in the last quarter, Apple was led by the four China-based stores (two in Beijing and two in Shanghai), which had the best sales figures of any ...

Rumored iPad 2 case pictures leaking out of Asia

by Kelly Hodgkins (Dec 30th, 2010)

A steady stream of purported iPad 2 cases continues to flow out of Asia. Similar to earlier leaks, this latest case to hit the rumor mill suggests the iPad 2 will have a rear-facing camera and a slimmer, possibly more angular design than the first generation iPad. This aesthetic change may be akin ...

Qantas to offer in-flight iPads on Jetstar flights

by Matt Tinsley (Oct 19th, 2010)

MarketWatch is reporting that iPads are to be offered to passengers as in-flight entertainment on Qantas Airways' Jetstar flights, according to a company official speaking to the Dow Jones Newswires. The move is to draw would-be flyers to Jetstar in an increasingly competitive market for budget ...

Apple moves past Motorola, up to 3% global cell phone market share

by Mike Schramm (May 19th, 2010)

Android may be moving ahead of Apple in the smartphone OS market, but Apple is steadily moving up the handset chart. It's just overtaken Motorola, shipping 8.75 million handsets in the first three months of this year, according to iSuppli. That many phones sets Apple up for three percent of the ...