24 rather interesting facts and stats about Apple in China

Chinese shoppers climb Apple’s stairs.

Apple’s Tim Cook was in China to speak at an Internet conference recently.

While his appearance was controversial in light of Apple’s realization that it must work within local Chinese laws, it was a good opportunity to learn some new things about the company’s adventures in China – adventures that really do matter, given the country’s 730 million Internet users. As I wrote in 2011, this will become Apple’s biggest market – it isn’t quite there yet.

1. China is Apple’s third-largest sales region
2. Isabel Ge Mahe is Apple’s vice president and managing director of Greater China
3. Apple keeps its Chinese cloud data on servers situated in China’s Guizhou province
4. Apple’s Chinese cloud data’s servers belong to a local partner.
5. There are 1.8 million Apple developers in China
6. Those developers have earned c$16.93 billion (112b Yuan) on the App Store so far.
7. That’s around 25 percent of global App Store earnings, based on Apple’s revelation earlier this year that developers had earned around $70 billion so far.
8. Apple sold 11 million iPhones in China in Q3 2017 – up from 8 million in the year ago quarter
9. That was Apple’s best iPhone sales performance in two years.
10. In 2012, Apple had to suspend iPhone sales at its retial stores as the crowd turned violent – in part, this was because of huge demand from grey market scalpers seeking a profit.
11. Greater distribution isn’t good for everyone – while the grey ‘scalpers’ iPhone market once commanded 163 percent premium on sale price, it now generates a 29 percent uplift
12. Total sales in Greater China grew by 12 percent year-on-year to $9.8 billion, up 22 percent quarter-on-quarter, the company said in November.
13. Apple recently set an all-time record quarter for Mac sales in mainland China.
14. Apple also achieved an all-time high for Services revenue.
15. Apple opened its first retail store in China in June 2008
16. Apple now has 41 retail stores in China
17. Morgan Stanley estimates Apple has gained 4 percent market share in 2017 and iPhones currently represent 19.5 percent of active smartphones in China
18. Apple has some problems with workers rights at its contract manufacturers in China, most recently at least six student interns were found to be working illegal overtime. Apple tries to monitor supplier responsibility.
19. That report revealed identification of one underage worker in 2016.
20. In 2016, Apple began working with the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importers & Exporters (CCCMC) to develop a third-party audit programme for cobalt.
21. All the smelters and refiners in Apple’s cobalt supply chain must now participate in a third-party audit programme as it tries to kick conflict minerals out of its products.
22. Apple has removed 674 VPN apps from the App Store this year under pressure from the Chinese government. Critics of that decision may in future need to look closer to home, as there are some who believe US and UK governments are edging to apply similar controls.
23. Environmentalists will welcome that Apple has installed 485 megawatts of wind and solar projects across six provinces of China
24. Apple battery supplier, Sunwoda, is committed to achieving 100 percent clean energy for Apple production by 2018 and has built a 50 MW solar farm in China.

Here is Apple’s Tim Cook speaking in China — sorry about the translation in there, perhaps there is a better version somewhere?

https://youtu.be/Kuc7NaTVXLQ