Apple Launches Special Edition Ox-Themed AirPods Pro in China for Chinese New Year

[Maconplasma]

You guys have Black Friday sales.
Each region should devise whatever marketing strategy they see fit in the region. Obviously Apple thinks Black Friday is what they should do for western markets.

LMAO You Guys??? And where are you from? Because according to this forum of mixed countries when the U.S Black Friday is about to approach every other country on Macrumors suddenly feels entitled to a Black Friday deal from Apple, and many of them don't even know what Black Friday means or how it came about being on Friday. SMH.

 

[Erehy Dobon]

Apple's China PR team seems to do cool stuff. The Japan PR team also seems to do cool events. Does the US PR team ever do anything interesting?

It's more Marketing than PR but anyhow each region has their own efforts.

Apple's domestic marketing efforts include a lot of TV advertisements. Whether or not you think their efforts are "interesting" [sic] is up to you.

Note that the legendary "I'm a Mac. I'm a PC." campaign was largely a U.S. marketing effort. There are plenty of other examples of US-specific marketing efforts, such as putting the Rosa Parks photo in an Apple promotional image. Such an image would mean nothing to a South Korean.

 

[citysnaps]

I, for one, can't support any particular support of Chinese culture over any other culture. Why is this special?

Speaking from the stance of market(s) -

"According to November data from Counterpoint Research, Apple had just 8 percent of the market share in China during the third quarter of 2019, down from 9 percent during the same time period in 2018. Huawei is the market leader with a 40 percent share, trailed by Vivo, Oppo and Xiomi"

As an AAPL holder since 1999, I don't really care about this. I do care about market diversification - manufacturing efficiencies, and an edge over competitors in emergent markets and unrealized spaces. This, to me, looks like some kind of appeasement. Does the combined tax+labour offset in China really impact your COG to such an extent that China, your *minority* market gets special and highly unique branding?

What shareholders, like myself, should be asking is:

1) AAPL has decided to fab their own SOC architecture. Amazing, brilliant, and yes. Get out of the fake, and agreed-upon (typical of binary market competition) BS that INTEL vs AMD has been suggesting is the 'reality' of progress.

2) Then, given the performance and efficiency gains made across the line (energy storage, power, savings via processing improvements with respect to the last two parameters, and others), what -> presently <- are your COG and related factors which mandate you manufacture in China. Why not U.S.? Why not Peru, Ireland, Ukraine, or (?)

3) And how does the latter justify AAPL kissing *** for a country that represent a (yes, significant opportunity) market that simply is neither sticky with respect to their products nor an actual first-runner adopter - unless the basic physical features are trendy.

Whoa! Don't know where to begin on this post.

Maybe.... Relax?

 

[Pakaku]

Lots of heated discussion over... an airpods case with nothing but an ox stamped on it? It's not even anything fancy like a new colour, it's just a different engraving. Not exactly the strongest idea, is it

 

[zhaoxin]

This is nice and all but... why is there an ox coming out of the ox?

That's the Chinese culture.

For an ox, it means niubility. So in the picture, an ox is up of the other ox. That means "牛上加牛", which means more niubility than niubility.

 

[1rottenapple]

These look cute. Liking the custom box printing!

I know I like it, that's neat. I don't know the significance of this symbol but it looks cool.

 

[SubduedTiger]

Goes to show that we really don't celebrate oxen nearly enough as we should in the U.S.

 

[Hastings101]

I love it, I wish they did limited time things like this in the US

 

[amartinez1660]

At the end of the day business I business I guess, and Apple have to suck China’s ... , I mean find creative ways of appeasing their overlords ..., I mean use any means necessary to sell more in the planet’s biggest market.

Biggest market, billions of people but only a quarter of a hundred thousands especially themed gadgets? I would have guessed these to sell by the millions (Judging by how successful the airpods are and all)

 

[7149041]

And how does the latter justify AAPL kissing

CNY is not only China but also Malaysia, Singapore, and the entire Chinese diaspora around the world. It's a time of giving, so many Chinese will go for this as a present. I'm sure your precious AAPL is not losing money over this.

 

[Johnny907]

Apple's China PR team seems to do cool stuff. The Japan PR team also seems to do cool events. Does the US PR team ever do anything interesting?

Other than that god awful “holiday” commercial? No, I don’t believe they do.

 

[cmaier]

Apple really should release a dumpster fire special-edition for the US new Year.

 

[JPack]

Largest smartphone market in the world.

Largest personal computer market in the world.

Whether you're talking AirPods, Audi vehicles, or Airbus jetliners, China is by far the largest market in revenue and in units sold. Even a small market share means huge revenue that eclipses any other country in the world.

So don't be surprised Apple is producing Ox themed AirPods for consumers in China and not COVID-themed iPhones for U.S. consumers.

 

[shapesinaframe]

I love it, I wish they did limited time things like this in the US

Your ability to afford to purchase the latest Apple products is limited.

 

[Starscape]

How surprising...

 

[DanTSX]

China + Apple = clicks and $$$

 

[ajfahey]

It sound like Apple is trying to do the opposite of goring China's Ox.

 

[bobob]

Plenty of racism on display at MacRumors today.

 

[7149041]

I do see from other comments here that these could be marketed to other places where CNY is celebrated

We have them here in Malaysia, the whole promo is on apple.com.my

 

[rew f fwd]

better would be a big thank you

 

[miric]

Apple may outsource the production of these. Not just adding ox but also it would be nice if it would be a fake. I suppose it is a very good reward to every Chinese cr.ppy fake. ?

 

[Serban55]

Very nice

 

[Escape Velocity]

There are roughly 50 million ethnic Chinese people living outside China/HK/Taiwan, and many of them are not even citizens of PRC nor born in China. So let's be clear first that Chinese culture != CCP/PRC.

Besides, how is this different than Apple releasing pride watch band or celebrating black history month?

Did you just lump Taiwan in with HK and China, in a comment centered on the CCP and PRC? The HK/China lumping is itself controversial, but also debatable and justifiable. But how on early could you include Taiwan in this comment? Politically, economically, culturally (by a wider margin every year), Taiwan is a distinct and independent country. In fact, today the vast majority of Taiwanese self-identify as Taiwanese rather than Chinese, the culmination of a long term trend spanning decades. Indeed, the new Taiwanese passport is even dropping the English name Republic of China (itself distinct from the People's Republic of China) in favor of calling itself Taiwan.

There is zero tradition in Western countries in displaying Christmas/Hannukah symbols outside of a short holiday timeframe.

By contrast, in many Asian countries, the zodiac figure is the dominant symbol for that particular year. Many households have a small display of the current year's animal.

Note that essentially 1/12th of those who follow the Chinese zodiac call this their year. The Western astrological calendar is split into twelve month-long periods that don't coincide with calendar months.

I've lived in Asia for years, and have frequently traveled around east and Southeast Asia. Lots of symbols displayed for the New Year season, but you won't see a year-round display terribly often.

 

[patent10021]

They can put an ox on them put they can't produce a few cool colors like Colorware? JHC.

 

[citysnaps]

So many people here are getting hyped up over something innocuous as Apple adding an embellishment to an iPod case celebrating and honoring Chinese New Year that's intended to put a smile on many millions of *people* (not governments).

Jeeez... calm down, and let *people* be happy with a bit of joy celebrating something that's important.