Apple has competed in China’s massive smartphone market only with its high-end iPhones until now. The iPhone has become a status symbol, helping to make the country a top market for the US tech giant. The iPhone SE is seen as a way for the company to expand in emerging nations and to target more price-sensitive consumers. In China, the lower end of the market has been dominated by less expensive Android-based smartphones sold by South Korea’s Samsung and China’s Xiaomi, Huawei, and Meizu.
The smaller 4 inch iPhone SE will be available in four colours in China at a price of CNY3,288 (USD 505) for a 16GB model and CNY4,088 (USD630) for a 64GB phone. Preorders can be taken on Thursday for the release date of 31 March.
The previous iPhone 5C version was also seen by analysts as an attempt by Apple to accommodate more budget-conscious consumers, particularly in China. However, the price between the iPhone 5C and the more technologically advanced iPhone 5S wasn’t great enough for the phone to attract a big following.
(Source: CNBC)