China, Apple Green-Light iPhone 6 Sales, Starts October 17
China's regulatory body has just given the green light for Apple's latest smartphone generation, approving the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus for use on the country's network bands. And with Apple formally announcing the launch date for the smartphones in China, the iPhone 6 could reach yet another world-breaking sales record, which already sold 10 million units on its first weekend alone.
Although Apple officially launched the new iPhone 6 in key markets last September 19, China was not included in that list. This was supposedly due to China looking into potential security issues with the smartphones and Apple's software. The Chinese government has been increasingly wary of such possible exploits due to all the talk about US spying. Their worries might have also been heightened by the recent fiasco surrounding Apple's iCloud and hacked celebrity accounts. Those issues seem to have been more or less addressed to the satisfaction of the government, leading its Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to announce the iPhone 6's approval on its website.
This could very well significantly boost the sales of the iPhone 6, which is already enjoying record numbers. In the first weekend alone, the smartphone managed to reach 10 million sales. And that's not even including China yet. For comparison, the iPhone 5s sales totaled only 9 million in 2013, with China already included. In 2012, the older iPhone 5 managed to reach 5 million in its US weekend debut and hold 2 million in its China weekend launch. If the pattern holds, we could be looking at staggering numbers again this year.
The smartphones will be available on all three major Chinese carriers, namely China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom, and will be compatible with both TD-LTE and FDD-LTE. Of course, both the iPhone 6 as well as the iPhoen 6 Plus, the latter subjected to much ridicule and torture, will be available for purchase. The iPhones come with iOS 8, also the recent subject of many unfavorable reports, most of which have been addressed in the latest software update.
The iPhone 6 will carry a price tag of 5,288 RMB ($860) for the 16 GB model, 6,088 RMB ($990) for the 64 GB version and 6,888 RMB ($1,120) for a whopping 128 GB of storage. For the iPhone 6 Plus, prices start at 6,088 RMB ($990) for 16 GB of staroge, 6,888 RMB ($1,120) for 64 GB, and 7,788 RMB ($1,266) for 128 GB. Pre-orders start on Friday, October 10, while reservations for in-store pick-ups will be accepted starting October 14. The formal retail launch of the iPhone 6 in China is slated to take place on October 17.