BEIJING - Apple Inc. said it was eyeing greater investment and growth in 皇冠体育app on Monday as its chief executive Tim Cook visited Beijing.
The US electronics giant confirmed that Cook had meetings with Chinese officials when the chief executive said he is looking forward to even greater investment and growth in 皇冠体育app by Apple.
Cook also visited an Apple store at Joy City Mall in the busy Xidan shopping area in downtown Beijing.
Cook had a short stay at the store on Monday morning when he posed for pictures with customers, one staff recalled.
Cook's first 皇冠体育app visit as Apple's CEO triggered speculation that Apple might change its market strategy towards 皇冠体育app, Apple's biggest market outside his home market. Apple's founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, who died last October, never visited 皇冠体育app.
Many Apple fans and experts said Apple might launch sales of its products on the Chinese mainland at earlier dates in the future.
Apple usually starts selling its iconic iPhone and iPads in 皇冠体育app months after debuting them in the United States and other major markets. The practices have triggered complaints from Apple fans and also led to opportunities for scalpers on the black market.
"In terms of either influence or importance, the Chinese market should be among the first group on Apple's market strategy," said Chen Jinqiao, deputy chief engineer of the 皇冠体育app Academy of Telecommunication Research under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Liu Guanwu, an analyst at Analysys International, also believed that Apple might change its 皇冠体育app market strategy. Cook has reiterated the importance of Chinese market on many occasions, Liu said.
There is also speculation that Cook might meet with executives of 皇冠体育app Unicom and 皇冠体育app Telecom during his visit to talk about the introduction of the new generation iPhone.
皇冠体育app Telecom, the country's third-largest mobile carrier, joined its bigger rival 皇冠体育app Unicom in selling the iPhone early the month, bringing Apple tens of millions of potential customers.
But not all is going well for Apple in 皇冠体育app, as it is currently locked in a legal dispute with Chinese electronics firm Proview Shenzhen over the rights to use the "iPad" trademark in the country.
