Cellular Apple iPad: For those in China who have been dreaming of owning a cellular enabled Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad or iPad mini, the wait is finally over. The company announced yesterday that sales of cellular versions of the fourth generation iPad as well as its little brother will begin on Friday.
Apple Inc. sent out a press release earlier today discussing this introduction to the market: Wi-Fi + Cellular Models of iPad mini & Fourth Generation iPad Available in China This Friday.
As expected, both China Telecom and China Unicom will be offering the tablets from day one. That being said, China Mobile is not yet onboard. With this in mind, things may be set to change in the near future. For more information on a potential deal between China Mobile and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), check out this article: Apple Inc. CEO Meets with China Mobile – Is a Deal Coming?
The iPad has been top dog in the Chinese tablet marketplace for quite some time. In fact, a report from AppleInsider a couple months back has its share at 71 percent of all sales. With the release of cellular enabled iPad tablets, there is a good chance that it could gain even more market share in the months to come.
Consumers in China will have the chance to purchase the new iPad products from local land based stores. Along with this, the tablets are expected to be available in Apple Authorized reseller stores as well as online through the Apple Store. With so many options to buy, those who are interested in making a purchase should not run into any trouble.
Here is what Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) had to say about this addition to the Chinese marketplace:
“Apple today announced the Wi-Fi + Cellular versions of iPad® mini and the new fourth generation iPad with Retina® display will be available in China on Friday, January 18. iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad are currently available in more than 100 countries worldwide including the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan and the UK.”
“iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular models come in black & slate or white & silver for a suggested retail price of $459 (US) for the 16GB model, $559 (US) for the 32GB model and $659 (US) for the 64GB model. The fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular models come in black or white for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. Additionally, iPad 2 is available at just $399 (US).”
“In China, iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad will be available through Apple retail stores, the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) and select Apple Authorized Resellers.”
As you can see, China is joining more than 100 other countries that currently sell the full range of iPad tablets.
What are your thoughts on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) bringing these products to China? Are you expecting the tablet to grab even more market share in the near future?
Check back here for more updates on Cellular Apple iPad.
DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.
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