China Telecom Goes Discount Crazy Ahead Of China Mobile iPhone Launch
China Mobile is offering the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c from Jan. 17, and as such one rival carrier in the world’s largest smartphone market - China Telecom - is in the process of launching increasingly attractive iPhone deals in an attempt to steal prospective customers from the nation’s No. 1 network.
The news comes from Bloomberg, which explains that China Telecom is offering the 16GB iPhone 5s handset for just 4,488 yuan ($742), which is an impressive 800 yuan (that’s $132) off its retail price. It’s a big discount, and one that could keep customers from signing up with China Mobile’s more expensive TD-LTE plans.
Jacky Yung, a Hong Kong-based spokesman for China Telecom, told the publication:
It is the general practice of our company to roll out marketing promotion programs at appropriate times to enhance the business growth.
Free gift packs are also on offer, which include iPhone cases and power banks (valued at 400 yuan), when subscribers sign up for a plan with China Telecom. It’s clear that the carrier is doing all it can to dissuade customers from choosing China Mobile as their iPhone carrier, and it’ll be interesting to see whether China Telecom’s strategy pays off.
Recent analysis has indicated that China Mobile could be responsible for as many as 12 million iPhone sales in 2014 alone. Countless China Mobile carrier stores have handed ad space over to the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, and following confirmation of the deal Apple shares rocketed in anticipation of huge China Mobile-powered iPhone sales later this year.
Though one report has claimed that China Mobile iPhone preorders aren’t particularly impressive, we’ll know nothing for certain until the carrier starts offering Apple’s smartphone in-store on Jan. 17.
Check back with us.
In the meantime, see: Microsoft Updates Xbox Music For iOS With Offline Playback Support For Playlists, Batman: Arkham Origins’ First Content Update Features New Collectibles And New Batsuits, and Apple’s iOS 7.1 Beta 3 Broke Evasi0n7, But This Unofficial Update Provides A Fix.
