IPhone limelight in recent years are the most powerful mobile products, India is currently the fastest growing mobile phone market, Apple’s original iPhone in India on the development of the high expectations placed. However, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone since September last year since the start iPhone sales, iPhone in India has been in poor status. Apple did not disclose revenue figures the Indian market, but executives confirmed a Airtel, analysts expect sales iPhone in India is less than 20,000.
Analysts also expect the publicity because of the Vodafone Group weaker relative intensity, so it probably sold less the iPhone. According to customs officials in India said that even with the black market sales, iPhone in India, the market can only be sold 15,000 increase. This is in sales for the rapid development of the Indian market is a drop in the ocean, since September last year, the formal launch of Apple’s iPhone has been the increase in India’s new mobile phone users reached almost 2 million people.
Apple has done something wrong in the end what? Now from Apple in the U.S. market when the iPhone officially launched nearly two years, but has not been able to apple mobile phone market in India gain a firm foothold, it will immediately enter the Chinese market may be the lessons of the Indian market as a warning. because of the global economic recession affecting the United States and other mature market, Apple will begin growth to maintain their hopes in the growing Asian markets. IPhone sales in the global market has begun to decline, Apple said that since the official release since the iPhone and iPod Touch, and their total sales volume has reached 10 million 3. JP Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz in the March 5 will be expected the first quarter of iPhone sales from 341 to 3,850,000 men 10000. Moskowitz investors report that: “Our preliminary study shows that, Mac and iPhone sales in the first quarter has been lower than we expected before.”
Apple market in India has encountered some enormous obstacles. For example, Nokia has been well received by consumers in India, Apple to open up a new situation, it must compete with Nokia. Whether or smart mobile phone market mobile phone market, Nokia has occupied a greater advantage.
Even mid-range for consumers in India, iPhone price too high. Although the market research firm iSuppli estimated the cost of the iPhone is less than 175 U.S. dollars, but Apple and Airtel in India, work out a sale price of iPhone is about 700 U.S. dollars, while the price of iPhone in the United States, 199 U.S. dollars only. In India, iPhone 3 has been worth the price of a Tata Motors car the price. Tata Motors has just two weeks before the launch at a price of only 2000 U.S. cars. Bethan Lloyd Apple spokesman, said in an e-mail, prices and tariffs are the main partners from the local decisions rather than apple. Apple executives declined to allow media companies.
Airtel and Vodafone for example, they simply will not consider the provision of subsidies for the iPhone. The vast majority of Indian users are advance users, high-end user calls the monthly data service fee is also good, only 30 U.S. dollars. In addition, most iPhone competitors can easily be unlocked on the network, so that the operator, iPhone in the U.S. market with AT & T partnership model does not apply to the Indian market.
However, Apple in India goes far beyond questions of price competition and as simple as that. According to Airtel mobile services Sanjay Gupta, chief marketing officer, said the use of mobile consumers in India with the United States consumers are completely different. Because data network coverage in India is not high, non-3G network download speeds are also slower, so iPhone network operators in India on the use of the United States does not like it at the network operator so obvious. In addition, Indian consumers enjoy the short language information forward, almost 70% of the Indian mobile phone users will forward every day for at least a short-language information, but the iPhone has been the past should not forward a text message language, until recently an increase of this feature. Gupta said: “This is a serious defect. iPhone look primarily at the Indian Does a cell phone, not a digital device. ”
Although Apple has been a United States enterprise IT managers to accept, but the enterprise market in India would look very bad luck. Indian business users are more willing to spend the price of 700 U.S. dollars to buy the black Nokia mobile phone or cell phone business, the majority of commercial iPhone but those who think young people are the hands of entertainment tools.
Apple is also encountered in India, another problem, that is for local partners to develop sales of iPhone and it is not the same goal. For instance, Airtel India, consumers seem to care whether or not to accept iPhone, because it is mainly through other means and from their own Apple on cooperation between the benefit. Gupta said: “For us, to establish cooperative relations with the iPhone is a brand on the cooperative relationship, which is enough to make us happy.”
The situation may be the next change. Beginning with the auction 3G spectrum in India, India may soon have a true 3G network; In addition, the future after the launch of new mobile phone is bound to push down the price of mobile phone.
But now, the focus of attention will be focused on the Chinese market. Apple has been working with China Mobile and China and other operators connected to the iPhone to China to negotiate co-operation. Are spread message recently that China will be connected at the first 6 month iPhone launch in China mobile phone market. Apple spokesman Lloyd not to comment on this. However, a spokesman for China Unicom in Beijing Yi Difei the two sides confirmed the ongoing negotiations, but did not confirm that China Unicom will be on May 17 at the introduction of iPhone rumors. He said: “We and the cooperation between the apple still in negotiation, the prospects for success are still a few unknown. The two sides are continuing negotiations, the outcome remains uncertain.”
As Apple’s experience in India as shown in the market, iPhone can succeed in the China market is also difficult to determine. With the Indian market, as Chinese consumers have accepted the Nokia, whether entry-level mobile phone or smart mobile phone, Nokia in China share of the market are quite high. Moreover, the same Chinese 3G network behind the developed countries. The Chinese government does not allow same cell phone with Wi-Fi capabilities, so much data capabilities of the iPhone will not be able to play a role, which is bound to limit and the impact of iPhone in China. and with the Chinese consumers, like consumers in India, they were reluctant to sign with the operators of the service agreement for many years. Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry said: “you would like to ask people to change their behavior It is very difficult. ”
Although developed in the Indian apple comparison difficult, but it is still every reason to be optimistic about the Chinese market. Because in the Chinese market is obviously apple has a loyal group of users, according to analyst estimates, the current trend of channels through the iPhone into the Chinese mobile phone market has reached 1 1000000.
