2012 Jul 03 More Lines and Fights at the Apple Store Soon?
It’s been a little quiet at the Sanlitun Apple Store lately, hasn’t it? Too quiet. When can we expect the next overhyped product release that will surely cause long lines, broken glass and maybe even some spilt blood? Very soon now, actually.
Just yesterday, Apple finally settled the iPad copyright dispute with Chinese company Proview, which means the iPad 3 – sorry, I mean “the new iPad” – will likely be hitting China’s shelves before the end of the month.
The tech giant is reportedly paying out USD 60 million to Proview for the rights to the iPad’s name in China. It’s a pretty hefty sum of money (especially for Proview, who allegedly owes up to USD 400 million to creditors), but it’s also probably a mere fraction of what they’ll make on the product in China. Read more about the story at AppleInsider. (Full disclosure: The writer of said article also happens to be our Dining Contributor, Josh Ong.)
What all this means for us is that a release of the new iPad at Apple stores in Beijing is imminent. We’re talking as early as mid-July, but more likely just before the end of the month. Some of you might care because you want to buy one, but most of us just want to know when to stay away. You’ve probably read our coverage of what happened the last time an iPad was released at the Sanlitun Apple Store.
That brings us to a completely anecdotal observation that the Apple store in Sanlitun now seems crawling with employees. Anyone else notice this? Is the company getting smarter about crowd control in preparation for the upcoming release?
This fall, Apple plans to include a Mandarin-ready Siri as part of the iOS 6 update. This upgrade will be compatible with the new iPad, so if you do plan to purchase the tablet here (or sell your kidney for it), you won’t get Siri as a language partner just yet – but you will in a few more months.
We’ll let you know as soon as an official release date is set for the iPad. Heck, we’ll even tell you when it gets cancelled, too.
Photo: Josh Ong
You might also be interested in :
News You Might Have Missed: Weibo Lights Up on Love, Sex and Apples
Things have been getting weird recently. Couples are going to extreme lengths to look like each other, boys are making news for their clueless gift-giving, Beida is (allegedly) giving out degrees for sex, dangerous needles are appearing in cabs and spoiled children are demanding their Apple products. We certainly have a few opinions on these matters, but here's what's getting said on Weibo.
News You Might Have Missed: Hot or Not, iPad Updates, and Lightning Strikes Twice
This week we’ve got beauty queens that aren’t easy on the eyes and Olympic athletes that are. Also, updates on the iPad, new government crackdowns and a deadly roadkill dinner.
News You Might Have Missed: Studs on the Subway, Apple Updates and More Malls
Recent reports on Beijing seem to raise more questions than they answer: Is there really a shortage of good-looking men? What date is the iPad 2 arriving? Do we really need another massive mall? And have we finally gotten closure on a 2011 Forbidden City robbery?
Why Is the iPad 3 Late Coming to China?
The iPad 3 is coming – eventually. Apple CEO Tim Cook finally unveiled its new features on Wednesday, showing off a higher-resolution screen, ultrafast 4G and Retina display, along with an update to the Apple TV box. Just as the iPhone 4S came out to ambivalent media assessment but saw customers thronging Apple stores worldwide on its release date, the iPad is expected to stir another craze. Pre-orders opened in the US yesterday, and it will officially go on sale on March 16th in the US, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong and the UK, amongst others while it will be released on March 23rd in another batch of 26 countries. Surprisingly, this new made-in-China Apple product had no word on its release date in the mainland, Apple’s second largest market by revenue. Why might that be? Agenda wraps up a few theories.
Check out agendabeijing.com for more on the possible causes behind the iPad delay.
iPhone Pricing: Which Plan Will You Choose?
While the fate of Apple’s iPad still lies in the balance, the iPhone 4S is becoming more readily available through new networks in China. The much sought-after smartphone has long been available through China Unicom as the nation's lone carrier, but now China Telecom is throwing its hat into the ring on March 9, with pre-orders having already begun last Friday.
If you’re in the market for an iPhone, you now have numerous choices to make. Do you get a phone through a plan or should you purchase a phone and plan separately? Do you go with China Unicom or China Telecom? Most importantly, how do those plans work?
marilynmai
The iPad's rumored release date: July 27
According to The Next Web (who got their info from Chinese blog PC Pop), the iPad is set for release on July 27:
http://thenextweb.com/asia/2012/07/06/apple-is-reportedly-set-to-finally...
Calling all scalpers!