Hong Kong’s mobile operators seek better days with iPhone X release
Carriers see potential from early pre-registration of subscribers who want to purchase Apple’s 10th anniversary iPhone
All four incumbent mobile network operators in Hong Kong are looking to gauge demand for the upcoming iPhone X, weeks ahead of Apple’s scheduled date for accepting orders, amid concerns over the muted interest for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus models.
Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong, SmarTone Telecommunications, China Mobile Hong Kong and HKT, the city’s largest mobile services provider, have each actively reached out to their respective subscribers through separate iPhone X pre-registration programmes.
While pre-registering customers has long been common practice in the industry, the process has taken on urgency because of the amount of inventory that these carriers must move after several quarters of slow smartphone sales, according to people familiar with the matter.
Apple has scheduled pre-orders for the iPhone X to start on October 27 in about 57 countries and territories, including mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It will be in stores from November 3.
With a starting price of US$999, the iPhone X represents Apple’s most expensive smartphone to date. It will be available in silver and grey, with 64-gigabyte and 256GB storage capacity versions.
Apple launched last month its 10th anniversary iPhone, which has a 5.8-inch full-screen design using organic light-emitting diode displays produced by rival Samsung Electronics.