Hong Kong mobile operators see solid demand for new iPhones
Three local operators are bracing for brisk business from subscribers when the new 5s and 5c smartphones from Apple are released tomorrow
Apple's three biggest mobile-carrier partners in Hong Kong expect to do brisk business with the release of the technology giant's latest iPhone models from tomorrow.
Unfazed by the tepid reviews at last week's launch, CSL, Three Hong Kong and SmarTone Telecommunications said yesterday they had seen solid market interest in Apple's new flagship iPhone 5s and the lower-priced 5c models.
CSL, which runs Hong Kong's largest wireless network with 3.89 million subscribers at the end of June, said its premium 1010 unit and mass-market one2free brands were "processing strong pre-orders" for the 5c, which offers five colour options. There are no 5s pre-orders in the city.
Three Hong Kong, with 3.78 million subscribers at the end of June, said: "Pre-registration response has been enthusiastic and customer inquiries have poured in every day since our pre-registration webpage was launched."
All three operators declined to provide pre-order numbers because of non-disclosure agreements with Apple.
That restriction apparently did not apply to mainland carrier China Unicom, which announced on Tuesday that its online reservations for the iPhone 5s and 5c models had surpassed 100,000 units.