1 Million Dollars' Worth of iPhones

[AAPL21]

This is a photo taken in the hotel before phones are smuggled into China, boxes are ditched to make it easier to smuggle across check point. Each stack contains 10 phones and there are 400 in total. 400 iPhone 6 / 6 Plus will fetch upto $1 Million USD on Taobao (NYSE:BABA) or in the local phone markets.

If you are wondering why the line outside of Apple Store is still so long, this is why. As long as Apple doesn't release enough iPhones in China on launch days, all other first release cities will turn into New Shenzhen.

 

[libu]

This is a photo taken in the hotel before phones are smuggled into China, boxes are ditched to make it easier to smuggle across check point. Each stack contains 10 phones and there are 400 in total. 400 iPhone 6 / 6 Plus will fetch upto $1 Million USD on Taobao (NYSE:BABA) or in the local phone markets.

If you are wondering why the line outside of Apple Store is still so long, this is why. As long as Apple doesn't release enough iPhones in China on launch days, all other first release cities will turn into New Shenzhen.

Where is that photo from ?

An article ?

Link to original article please.

 

[mrcrlee]

You mean as long as the Chinese regulatory agency does not grant apple the permits necessary to legally sell them.

 

[HiRez]

Mmm, graham crackers!

 

[Snot Rox]

Mmm, graham crackers!

Haha. That was exactly what I was thinking too.

 

[AAPL21]

Where is that photo from ?

An article ?

Link to original article please.

I know a guy who used to smuggle phones from HK to China back in iPhone 4 days. This is sent to him by his friend who's still in the "industry". This was taken in HK, and the phones are in China now.

 

[wxman2003]

Apparently customs in China must be very lax to allow this to get through. Must be a lot of bribes being paid during this period to government officials for all these phones to get through. iPhones, the drug of choice in China.

 

[HiRez]

So serious question, is this business actually illegal, or merely shady?

 

[noisycats]

I think that's squilly's brother's hand in the picture.

I could be wrong.

 

[AAPL21]

You mean as long as the Chinese regulatory agency does not grant apple the permits necessary to legally sell them.

I can't help but wonder what's up with that. Leading up to the iPhone announcement, some major carriers in China already leaked posters with Sept 19th release date; so why the last minute change?

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So serious question, is this business actually illegal, or merely shady?

As long as they are not declaring these devices at the customs, this is illegal.

 

[Eau Rouge]

Photo looks like it came from a drug bust!

Curious, are the groups behind this instructing the buyers to obtain specific models like the A1586/1524 for TD-LTE support or do they care? Are there local means of unlocking foreign carrier locked phones?

 

[AAPL21]

AFAIK, they are primarily going after the A1586/1524 from HK & Japan, and the Verizon models in the US. I've seen some Taobao sellers selling ATT/T-Mobile version but they are relatively small.

 

[My Name is URL]

Looks like a stash of drugs haha.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

AFAIK, they are primarily going after the A1586/1524 from HK & Japan, and the Verizon models in the US. I've seen some Taobao sellers selling ATT/T-Mobile version but they are relatively small.

Some China carrier(s?) uses CDMA so it makes sense. Plus Verizon iPhones are factory unlocked.

Photo looks like it came from a drug bust!

Curious, are the groups behind this instructing the buyers to obtain specific models like the A1586/1524 for TD-LTE support or do they care? Are there local means of unlocking foreign carrier locked phones?

When you by a T-Mobile iPhone from and APPLE STORE (NOT CARRIER STORE) for FULL PRICE it will be factory unlocked.

With AT&T it might be unlocked as well and if it isn't AT&T has to legally unlock it because the phone has no payments due.