1 min read The exterior of an Apple store in Shanghai on March 26, 2019. (Image credit: TechNode / Shi Jiayi)
The anticipated orders for Apple's new iPhone 11 have skyrocketed over the weekend after the launch of pre-orders on Friday, showed data from ecommerce sites Tmall and JD.com.
Why is it important: The lack of 5G compatibility has only slightly softened the appeal of Apple's new phone to Chinese consumers.
Chinese netizens have criticized Apple for its lack of 5G device since the California – based electronics manufacturer introduced the iPhone 11 on Sept. 10.
Commercial licenses were granted to China's top three carriers for next-generation wireless technology in June, but no announced launch dates were announced for 5G network services.
An export ban imposed by the United States on Huawei, Chinese manufacturer of telecom equipment, which is also one of the main suppliers of 5G equipment for Chinese operators, could delay the deployment of their 5G network.
Details: The first-day pre-sale for the iPhone 11 series (including the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max) on the Chinese e-commerce site Tmall has increased by 335% compared to the iPhone XR models launched there a year ago. , according to Chinese media Yicai.
Sales for new devices on the site have reached 100 million RMB (about $ 14.1 million) in less than a minute, according to Tmall.
The day one pre-sale for the iPhone 11 series also jumped 480% on JD.com, another Chinese e-commerce site, the report said.
Prices for the iPhone 11 series start at RMB 5,499, less expensive than the introductory price of XR models per RMB 1,000.
The context: Apple's rivals in China, such as Huawei, Xiaomi and ZTE, have already launched their 5G smartphone for the country's first users.
Huawei and Xiaomi both marketed a 5G smartphone model in the Chinese market, and Huawei plans to launch another 5G device in the country this year.
ZTE was the first on the market with the launch in early August of China's first 5G smartphone.
China, which includes mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, will account for 34.0% of global smartphone shipments 5G in 2023, according to research firm Canalys.
