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Comment by mwcampbell | Hacker News Reader

I'm surprised that the iPhone has any significant market share in China. I would expect Chinese users to prefer phones from Chinese brands running Chinese-developed ROMs (albeit based on Android, minus the Google proprietary bits). Is the iPhone's hardware design and/or iOS really that much better?

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Chinese people go crazy for iPhones, when the 6 was released my friend had a trip scheduled to go back home to Shanghai for a few weeks, EVERY ONE of his friends asked him to bring them one (or more) unlocked iPhones, and they were happy to pay well over store price, as the iPhone got released a month late there.

He ended up bringing them only for his closest friends, as otherwise he would have been arrested at customs :)

I think you might be underestimating the power foreign status products hold in China.

There is a substantial status aspect to it (your average Shanghai fashionista wouldn't be caught dead with a xiaomi), but Android UX still has a bad reputation even in China. The group I'm in of Beijing-based Chinese techies (I'm the only foreigner) are largely split 50-50 between iPhone and various Androids (and no WP even though the company is Microsoft). They aren't very fashion oriented (programmers, researchers).

The Chinese middle class are all about status. The iPhone is a status symbol.

It sort of sounds like the Chinese see an iPhone similar to how Americans see a BMW or Audi.

Chinese see cars (and handbags, and shoes) the same way as well.

China is a massive market for German car brands - they buy ~30% of Audis sold worldwide, ~25% of BMWs and ~18% of Mercs.

An iPhone 4 bought refurbished, then used gingerly for 2-3 years is within reach for many. Seen plenty of waiters and taxi drivers using iOS. It's not like they're all getting maxed out 6 Pluses every year.

If anything, one's phone is used so much that it's a reasonable thing to spend money on, even if you skimp on paying for data plans and spend less on other things.

Bear in mind that the iPhone is priced beyond the salary of most people. It is certainly a luxury item.

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