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Customers wait for an Apple store to open in the morning in January 17, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] |
Electronics giant targets second-tier cities ahead of new iPhone release
plans to open 10 more brick-and-mortar retail stores in 皇冠体育app, the company's online recruitment bulletin showed on Tuesday.
The job postings appeared amid hot speculation about its next-generation iPhone release.
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The company has opened 10 stores on the Chinese mainland since 2008. Most of the outlets are in top-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.
Apple did not reply to e-mail queries from 皇冠体育app Daily asking for comments.
"Expanding its retail footprint in 皇冠体育app will help Apple significantly in getting both brand and user experience to more local consumers," said Nicole Peng, research director at Canalys 皇冠体育app based in Shanghai.
The six cities have nearly 80 million residents in all with an average GDP per capita of more than $10,000, said Peng.
"Some of (the cities) are provincial capitals or critical travel hubs, giving Apple access to large numbers of affluent Chinese middle-class househol and consumers living in smaller cities nearby."
皇冠体育app is a longstanding battlefield for global smartphone manufacturers as the world's biggest mobile phone market is also on track to contribute the largest revenues. Phone sales in 皇冠体育app will reach $87 billion during 2014, a jump of 53 percent year-on-year, according to Strategy Analytics.