China

Fake iPhone Ring Busted in China

We knew China was the land of knockoffs and copycats. You can easily find an HiPhone 5, and the iPhone 5 hasn't even come out yet. It now appears that you can also find lots of fake iPhone 4's.

The Chinese police busted a gang responsible for a "sophisticated" counterfeit iPhone ring. They came across a group of individuals who purchased various parts in China, and assembled the fake iPhones in their apartment...

Apple to Start Selling 3G iPad 2 in China Tomorrow

Here's some good news for our 1.4 billion Chinese friends who have eagerly been waiting for the 3G version of the iPad 2. According to the WSJ, Apple will officially start selling the 3G iPad 2 in China as of tomorrow.

The device will be available via Apple retail and online stores, and at authorized resellers – likely China Unicom, who's the only authorized iPhone reseller in the country...

China Telecom Announces “Dragon Plan” to Sell iPhone 5 in October

China's third largest wireless provider has initiated a $234.5 million iPhone 5 promotion called the "Dragon Plan." China Telecom is already training employees and setting up in-store advertising. One store has even set up a large LCD panel promoting the unreleased iPhone 5.

More interestingly, the carrier has already announced that it will begin selling the device in October. This report follows the comment of France Telecom CEO Stéphane Richard yesterday saying that the next gen iPhone would be available to customers on October 15...

Apple Already Churning Out 150,000 iPhone 5 Units Per Day

With Apple's next media event on the horizon, iPhone 5 production has already ramped up overseas. Foxconn, Apple's main supplier, is allegedly building 150,000 iPhone 5 units per day.

The supply chain is expected to reach 5-6 million iPhone shipments during September, with Apple's next gen iPhone announcement expected to drop at the end of this month or in early October.

Apple Manufacturers Begin iPhone 5 Production for October Release

A report from Japanese site Macotakara claims that Apple OEM manufacturers have begun iPhone 5 production for an October launch. Foxconn will allegedly assemble 85% of the units, with Petragon accounting for 15% of production volume.

While iPhone 5 units are being assembled, Apple has yet to install iOS 5 on the devices. This is due to the fact that iOS 5 is still in the final beta stages, and the software will be installed on the new hardware when it reaches its final GM version in the coming weeks.

Loads of iPhone 5 Cases Point Towards Thinner Design

As we've reported in the past, there are tons of leaked iPhone 5 cases out there. M.I.C. Gadget has reported that all kinds of alleged iPhone 5 cases are everywhere in China. It seems that more and more iPhone 5 parts and cases leak everyday, and they all point to a thinner design.

The iPhone 5 is expected to be "thin as an iPod Touch," which is a pretty bold statement. Could Apple really fit all those components in that thin of a package? Maybe...

Lenovo CEO Isn’t Afraid of Apple, Plans to Dominate Tablet Market

There was no shortage of media coverage last week as Apple officially passed Lenovo in revenue by hitting $3.8 billion on Lenovo's home turf of greater China (thanks largely in part to the iPhone and iPad).

However, according to a report from the FinancialTimes, Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanquing doesn't want to believe the numbers claiming the comparison is unfair. His reasoning? Basically, Lenovo's phone business doesn't make as much money as Apple's...

Report Claims Steve Jobs Has Been Mysteriously Meeting With China Mobile Execs

If you're wondering what China Mobile is and why it's brought up so frequently, let me break it down for you. The Asian operator is the largest wireless provider on the planet, with more than 600 million subscribers. And they don't carry the iPhone... yet.

The potential of 600 million new iPhone prospects has investors and tech pundits foaming at the mouth, and it has led to countless rumors regarding the partnership. That said, the latest gossip claims that Steve Jobs himself has been heavily involved in the ongoing dealings...

One of the Coolest Fake Apple Stores We’ve Ever Seen

Apple's retail locations have achieved unprecedented success over the last 10 years. They've received numerous architectural design awards and currently average around $4000 in sales per square foot.

As most of you probably know, with success comes imitation. And over the last few months we've seen several fake Apple Stores pop up and consequently get shut down. But out of all the impostors we've seen, this one has to be the coolest...

China Mobile and Apple Reportedly Ink Deal for iPhone 4 Launch this Fall

China Mobile is the world's largest wireless carrier with 600+ million subscribers, and it doesn't have the iPhone yet. While we've heard a lot of speculation that Apple will soon be joining forces with the provider, we haven't really known when to expect a done deal.

We recently heard rumors that the two companies had agreed on a TD-LTE smartphone, but that's not likely until sometime next year. So will Apple tap China Mobile's enormous customer base before then? RBC Capital Markets' Mike Abramsky seems to think so...

Cheaper iPhone Would Have to Be an “Innovative, Category-Killer Experience,” According to Apple

Since the beginning of this year, rumors have been heating up that Apple will release not one, but two iPhone models this year. One of these devices would be the next flagship iPhone 5 based on the the current pricing structure, while the second device would be a cheaper (possibly pre-paid) "Nano" handset.

Apple's COO and CFO have chimed in on what it would take for the company to release a cheaper iPhone. They describe that the product would need to be an, "innovative, category-killer experience."