China Telecom Gearing Up for iPhone 5 Launch with Massive $234 Million Marketing Push

[MacRumors]

China Telecom is reportedly gearing up for the launch of the iPhone 5, training staff members and even beginning advertising as it prepares to begin taking orders as soon as the end of this month.

China Telecom has instructed some of its provincial branches to begin preparations for the sales of the iPhone 5, including conducting staff training, and the operator will accept orders for the phone at the earliest at end September, reports Southern Metropolis Daily, citing a company insider.

According to the report, a LED screen at the Changan Road branch of China Telecom had started advertising the forthcoming debut of the iPhone 5.

The carrier is expecting to begin pre-sales of the iPhone 5 later this month, with official sales beginning next month. China Telecom is also said to be dedicating a massive 1.5 billion yuan ($234.5 million) to marketing for the device under an initiative known as the "Dragon Plan".

China is a booming market for Apple, but Apple has so far partnered only with China Unicom as an official carrier for the iPhone. China's other two major carriers, China Mobile and China Telecom, have been pushing hard for the iPhone, and it now appears that at least China Telecom is lined up to begin offering the device with the launch of the iPhone 5.

Article Link: China Telecom Gearing Up for iPhone 5 Launch with Massive $234 Million Marketing Push

 

[soco]

I wonder how it would work if a company like Verizon just didn't do marketing for it. Just put up some signs in the stores that it's in stock and let people flow in.

 

[hl450]

No new design

There isn't gonna be much change in the upcoming iphone compared to the current iPhone. Only changes that will be made are pretty much :

-CPU
-battery
-Antenna design
-camera module
-SCREEN WILL BE SAME..

it's basically just the N94 u have seen...

 

[chagla]

aggressive marketing is one major reason why iProducts are so successful.

 

[Mr. Chewbacca]

So their going to have one superbowl add

 

[applefan289]

Apple seems to really be trying to keep the iPhone 5 a secret - they seem to be working extra hard to do so.

 

[newyorksole]

Apple seems to really be trying to keep the iPhone 5 a secret - they seem to be working extra hard to do so.

that's why I believe there hasss to be a major upgrade. the same iPhone 4 look with a better processor, camera and battery? nah.

 

[jesses]

Can't wait to upgrade from my "free" samsung phone of 2 years!

 

[alexexexex]

aggressive marketing is one major reason why iProducts are so successful.

Partly, although i think the word-of-mouth effect for the growth of sales of all apple products shouldn't be discounted. Letting people play with your iPhone/iPad and enthusing how much you're enjoying it has a far greater effect than ads i think.

I think if it was terrible then bad word-of-mouth could kill it just as fast.

I got a G5 iMac 6 or 7 years ago and have had all 4 iPhones.

Now my close family have 4 iMacs 6 iphones 2 ipod touches 4 ipads 5 macbook pros a macbook air and 2 appletvs. None of that due to marketing all due to seeing how great the products are first hand.

 

[guzhogi]

aggressive marketing is one major reason why iProducts are so successful.

Actually, I'm half tempted to pay Apple to NOT advertise as much. There's a practically an Apple commercial every commercial break. It gets really tiring. Plus, the commercials do not make me want to go out & buy an Apple product. I could see occasional commercials (once a day) maybe, but this is too much. IMO they could save a lot of money by not advertising it so much.

One thing they could spend that money on is maybe upping production. I know, limited supply can increase demand. But how much more demand does having a limited supply actually make? When the original iPhone came out, I saw some on e-Bay going for over $1 million (but mainly to get hits). So either up production, or maybe more money in R&D so that the products could become even better. Just my 2¢

[/rant]

 

[RafaelT]

That is a crazy amount of money for advertising... but then again with the amount of subscribers they have I guess the return can be enormous.

I am wondering how long after the launch it is going to take supply to catch up to demand.

 

[ohiobam]

Ready

Just like everyone else...I want to know when it is coming. My wife and I are still on the super-slow 3g and can't wait for whatever phone comes out with whatever features!

 

[GorgonPhone]

There isn't gonna be much change in the upcoming iphone compared to the current iPhone. Only changes that will be made are pretty much :

-CPU
-battery
-Antenna design
-camera module
-SCREEN WILL BE SAME..

it's basically just the N94 u have seen...

I know you are right but i wish you were wrong..

 

[MathijsDelva]

I just don't believe that the iPhone 5 will be a small update. It's massively delayed, lot's of companies are building up (some with massive marketing campaigns) to the hype.. I don't know, i'm pretty sure something big is happening.

 

[GorgonPhone]

Apple seems to really be trying to keep the iPhone 5 a secret - they seem to be working extra hard to do so.

i swear if apple presents and iphone 5 that looks just like iphone 4 they will get slammed in the industry cause there too much hype now if they under deliver it will be tragic especially with steve having left..

 

[iChrist]

iPhone is China shows how China is becoming future. I hope China buys most iPhones to show it is ready to lead world with new consumers. China to lead world will be better than dying leaders like US and France.

I hope to see ads soon. Please update on this macrumors.

 

[mikerudolph22]

fo sho

that's why I believe there hasss to be a major upgrade. the same iPhone 4 look with a better processor, camera and battery? nah.

It has to, for real...I agree.

 

[poblack]

I wonder if a deal with China Mobile is in the works. If so, that will be HUGE!

 

[Rocketman]

This and other recent new carrier rumors all refer to N94 as the iPhone 5, not the iPhone 4S. That seems to be a resolved issue now.

I think the tapered unit is the iPod Internet Everywhere (data only wireless/cellular nano tablet). Dedicated voice frequency dependence is dying.

Rocketman

 

[chrmjenkins]

I wonder if a deal with China Mobile is in the works. If so, that will be HUGE!

Apple execs have been spotted there. The question is not if there is a deal happening, its how close it is to being finalized.

One thing is for sure, Apple is going to sell a lot of iphone 5's before 2011 is done.

 

[guzhogi]

Come one 4G/LTE capability!

 

[kasei]

This should really boost Apple's already high numbers of devices.

 

[accessoriesguy]

There isn't gonna be much change in the upcoming iphone compared to the current iPhone. Only changes that will be made are pretty much :

-CPU
-battery
-Antenna design
-camera module
-SCREEN WILL BE SAME..

it's basically just the N94 u have seen...

I wonder if apple does do just that, and steve jobs says something like "this is better for you" will people then be all like "hurray that they didn't change it!

i wonder...

 

[grassjelly]

So their going to have one superbowl add

Yes that sounds about right. If you buy 117 Superbowl ads it would cost you approximately $234 Million dollars.

 

[yrsued]

I wonder if apple does do just that, and steve jobs says something like "this is better for you" will people then be all like "hurray that they didn't change it!

i wonder...

Most likely!!

I will buy whatever they come out with, I'm an Android user and I hate the Android system. When I went to the Smart Phone, Verizon didn't have the Iphone and I left AT&T and lost 12K Minutes because there was absolutely no service where I live and I depend on my Cell for my business!!