Apple will release new iPhones in Hong Kong and mainland China next week to meet pent-up demand
Pre-orders for the new handset will be accepted from Friday
Apple will release its dust and water-resistant iPhones with advanced cameras in Hong Kong and mainland China on September 16, which could help meet the pent-up demand for a new “hero” smartphone in those two markets.
At its product launch in San Francisco on Thursday, the US technology giant also unveiled the updated iteration of its Apple Watch, which will also be available on the same date.
Watch: The iPhone 7 makes global debut
The introduction of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, as well as the Apple Watch Series 2, is widely expected to give a boost to smartphone and smartwatch sales around the world amid a lingering economic slowdown and the recent handset recall of Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest smartphone supplier.
Apple announced that it will extend its year-old iPhone upgrade programme to mainland China for the first time, allowing consumers there to get an unlocked iPhone or iPhone 7 Plus from the company’s online store and branded shops.
Those who sign up for that programme make monthly payments to get their device, with AppleCare protection plan, choose their telecommunications network operator and upgrade to a new iPhone every year. In the United States, monthly payments start at US$32.