Apple (AAPL) Will Miss Biggest Shopping Holiday...in the World
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Earlier reports suggested Apple beat out Samsung on at least one patent suit in Germany, but Samsung might have the last laugh (Mwa-ha-ha!).
Well, for the first quarter of 2012 anyway.
According to reports and logic Friday, Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) move to pull-out its iPhone from China will see it miss the important gift-giving season of the Chinese New Year, which starts January 23rd. More on that holiday -- though slightly more Coach (NYSE: COH)-focused -- here.
Apple stopped selling iPhone 4S devices on January 13th, following the launch, and subsequent egging, in Beijing and China after shortages were reported and customers became irate that they wouldn't be able to get one.
How much is the market during the one-week holiday n China? According to government statistics (always reliable) sales were $64 billion in the period. Billion. For comparison, holiday sales in the U.S. for two months -- from the start of November right through the end of December -- totaled about $470 billion for the entire season.
Talk about crowded malls in China.
Benefiting from Apple's absence should be companies utilizing Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android mobile OS: Samsung, HTC, Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Motorola Mobility (NYSE: MMI), and HTC Corp., as well as local-made offerings from ZTE and Huawei.
Notably, the iPhone 4S still remains available through China Unicom (NYSE: CHU) and authorized resellers. Devices on Apple's website have been sold out. And, as always, black market iPhone 4S models are always just a phone call away.
Through the first nine months of 2011, Apple is said to have sold 5.6 million iPhones in China, placing it fourth in overall smartphone sales for the country. Beating it were Nokia, Samsung, and Huawei.
Apple is indicated lower early Friday.
Well, for the first quarter of 2012 anyway.
According to reports and logic Friday, Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) move to pull-out its iPhone from China will see it miss the important gift-giving season of the Chinese New Year, which starts January 23rd. More on that holiday -- though slightly more Coach (NYSE: COH)-focused -- here.
Apple stopped selling iPhone 4S devices on January 13th, following the launch, and subsequent egging, in Beijing and China after shortages were reported and customers became irate that they wouldn't be able to get one.
How much is the market during the one-week holiday n China? According to government statistics (always reliable) sales were $64 billion in the period. Billion. For comparison, holiday sales in the U.S. for two months -- from the start of November right through the end of December -- totaled about $470 billion for the entire season.
Talk about crowded malls in China.
Benefiting from Apple's absence should be companies utilizing Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android mobile OS: Samsung, HTC, Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Motorola Mobility (NYSE: MMI), and HTC Corp., as well as local-made offerings from ZTE and Huawei.
Notably, the iPhone 4S still remains available through China Unicom (NYSE: CHU) and authorized resellers. Devices on Apple's website have been sold out. And, as always, black market iPhone 4S models are always just a phone call away.
Through the first nine months of 2011, Apple is said to have sold 5.6 million iPhones in China, placing it fourth in overall smartphone sales for the country. Beating it were Nokia, Samsung, and Huawei.
Apple is indicated lower early Friday.
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