Last February, we forwarded a report on China's first Apple Store. At the time, it seemed the store would open on August 8th to coincide with the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics.
This week, The Shanghai Daily is reporting that the Sanlitun-based store will open on July 19, with a second store also scheduled to open during the Olympic Games (in the Qianmen area). China is the world's largest mobile phone market and second largest computer market.
No official opening dates have been released, so please send us any specifics or spy shots you take. Thanks!
The Gray Lady has published a piece examining the so-called "gray market" for iPhones in China -- legitimate products transferred through not-so-legitimate channels. Though we of course have no idea how prevalent this was before the rise of the 'Net, I have to think that the shrinking global neighborhood contributes to this a lot -- it's much easier to ask someone in another country to buy something for you when you talk to them every day on Twitter.
The NYT puts the number of non-AT&T iPhones at a whopping 1.4 million, but of course that includes unlocked phones all over the world, and people who are using iPhones without actually activating them. So we're not exactly sure of the number of iPhones floating around China (where Apple hasn't made a deal to provide official service yet). Analyst Charles Wolf says that Apple definitely enjoys listing the gray market iPhones in their sales numbers, but that the lack of an AT&T agreement with the phone sales undermines their contract plan.
However, he admits also that making the decision to sell the phones unlocked would have earned Apple more demand in the first place, so it's six in one, half-dozen in the other. There's no word on how the impending release of the SDK might affect the sale of phones for unlocking, either. But for now, it's clear that the gray market is a substantial and yet very much unknown quantity of Apple's iPhone business.
TUAW reader Kim, who runs the Danish blog Kinablog,dk, sent us this piece he wrote about what he calls the world's biggest Apple USB mouse (a.k.a. the iMac mouse, a.k.a. the hockey puck). It's actually a building in China that houses the National Centre for the Performing Arts, with room for 6,500 people in three halls inside 2,000 square meters, designed by Paul Adreu. And he's right-- it bears a striking (though not quite exact) resemblance to the round little early iMac peripheral. Considering that construction started on the building in 2001, and the mouse was released before that, it's a little less of a stretch (though still a stretch) to think that one inspired the other.
But Kim is thinking even bigger-- not only does he dare us to imagine the sound of a click on a mouse that big, but he asks what an iMac that size would look like. Stop bending my mind like that, man! Apple is going thinner, not bigger.
The first Apple Store to open in China is reported to be joining 300 shops on Beijing's Qianmen Street, which is undergoing a $40 million renovation to restore it to Ming-era architecture. The store is scheduled to open before the August 8th opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics. The renovated street will become the city's second pedestrian-only shopping street and it's reported that Apple will be forgoing its well-established storefront in favor of a design that will blend with the Chinese architecture surrounding it.
China joined the World Trade Organization in 2005, and recently passed laws allowing non-Chinese companies to fully own businesses within China. Dell and Best Buy have already entered the market, which undoubtedly factored into Apple's decision to include Beijing in the 40 stores scheduled to open this year.
Apple and China Mobile have broken off all discussions of a collaboration. As for why, mum is the word.
China Mobile spokeswoman Rainie Lei said she is "...unaware of any plans for further talks with Apple," according to Bloomberg. Likewise, Apple declined to comment.
This is a blow for Apple, as China's potential customer base is huge. They've got 362.8 million Blackberry subscribers, which is more than the populations of the U.S., Japan, and the U.K. combined. More than 500 million Chinese use cell phones.
We're guessing that both parties are being a bit stubborn about profits and pricing (Apple stubborn? I can't imagine such a thing). Let's hope they learn to play nicely.
Oh those endearing Chinese manufacturers - what would the electronics industry be without at least a few crappy knockoff products to keep original manufacturers on their toes? (Answer: companies like Apple could probably lay off a few lawyer infantries, but that's a whole 'nother conversation.) Engadget has caught footage of the 'tPhone', which sounds and looks like some sort of Windows Mobile (strangely, it uses a desktop Windows startup sound) device with heavily modified and/or skinned software. Does this look appealing? Remember: you don't have to be afraid to say 'no.'
Of course, Engadget touts the advantages of this device, namely a removable battery and microSD card slot. That said, eagle-eyed TUAW readers have also pointed out that the recently updated iPhone gallery reveals what could possibly be some sort of slot at the top of the iPhone, as exhibited in the gallery's first picture. Add that to all the interesting new iPhone tidbits we're digging up, and it looks like we might still be in for more discoveries (and possibly even official Apple announcements) before the iPhone actually lands next week.
Assuming the forthcoming iPhone isn't some tremendous hoax, it appears more details are coming to light. According to Apple Insider, today's China Times says the iPhone design has been "finalized and released to manufacturing". The report suggests the iPhone will include a 2.0-megapixel camera and will debut in late Q1 or early Q2 of 2007.
Sounds like things might not be so squeaky clean in the "iPod City" after all, as Engadget has dug up some dirt on the Foxconn factory's admission of breaching Chinese labor laws. Specifically, Foxconn has admitted their employees work about 80 extra hours each month - which is a tad above and beyond the 36 extra hours that Chinese law allows for. To make matters worse though, Apple launched an investigation into the factory once this issue broke, "but has found no problem with Foxconn", to quote a factory spokeswoman from the ChinaCSR.com report. Here's hoping Apple is delving a bit deeper into the matter beyond what is likely a preemptive quote from a spokesperson eager for the issue to simply go away.
My previous post about the conditions in iPod factories was construed by some as an attack on Apple. The sensibly that Apple, as a faceless multinational corporation, can do no wrong boggles my mind. Apple has one goal as a company, and one responsibility to its shareholders: make money. They make iPods (and Macs) in China because there is lots of cheap labor there. Not too shocking.
With that out of the way, Macworld UK is reporting that Apple is now looking into these reports about the iPod factory conditions. Apple points to their supplier code of conduct (PDF link) which outlines what Apple expects from their suppliers.
I've always thought that iPods are produced in a Willy Wonka-esque factory where the impossible is everyday, and the candy is always free. According to MacWorld UK that isn't the case. The iPod is made in Chinese factories, mostly by women, who live and work at the factory. They make anywhere from $50 to $100 a month (some have their housing and food costs covered, and others don't).
Last February, we forwarded a report on China's first Apple Store. At the time, it seemed the store would open on August 8th to coincide with the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics.
The 
The first Apple Store to open in China is 
Apple and China Mobile have broken off all discussions of a collaboration. As for why, mum is the word.
Assuming the forthcoming 
Sounds like things might not be so squeaky clean in the "iPod City" after all, as Engadget has 
My previous 
