so Apple make expensive computers..

in other news... rain later..

Headline should read:


Apple Records Nearly Half of U.S. PC Desktop Retail Industry Revenue

I don't know how Apple is being marketed in China, but in India, marketing is non-existent. Yes, there are "Apple Authorized Resellers" in India, but the sales staff know nothing about the Macs or iPhones or iPods they have in stock. I once went to get a replacement power adapter for my 17" PBG4, and had to wait for an hour, while for guys huddled around a computer trying to find the adapter they were looking for.

As I understand, when the original iPhone was introduced in India, fewer than 50,000 had been sold in three months since its introduction. No wonder, really, as there was absolutely NO marketing, no advertising, no nothing in any media announcing the mere existence of such a device. Apple have only themselves to blame for that failure. You can't sell anything unless you get the word out.

The reason Macs and especially iPhones and iPods have been so wildly successful in the U.S., is because Apple has invested heavily in a very successful marketing campaign, and a strong support infrastructure, neither of which exists in India.

A common argument for why Apple wouldn't do well in India is that most Indians could not afford Macs or iPhones or iPods. That argument fails completely when you look at the high-end, high-priced electronics (plasma TVs, smart phones, etc.), luxury cars, jewelry, etc. that are heavily advertised on tv and in print media here.

Certainly there's a segment of the Indian population that can't afford to buy these higher-priced items, but there is also a strong middle class demographic, and a thriving film industryboth perfect markets for Apple in India. Now, if we can only convince the Apple execs...

For Apple to succeed in Chinaand India, they have to make a serious commitment to marketing themselves, providing adequate inventory and supporting their product.

So far, in India at least, Apple has done nothing more than drop-ship a few Macs to various locations and call it doneno marketing, no training of sales staffand then complain that sales in India are too slow to justify further investment.

I think I've probably repeated myself several times in this rant, but, as much as I love Apple, I'm really annoyed with them that they've largely ignored this part of the world.

China was never a shoe-in for Apple. It is a different dynamic. Less than 10% of the people, 130 million, may have the money to buy the expensive wi-fi crippled iPhone in China. Plus Apple is dealing with nationalism - in other words many Chinese may prefer Chinese made and branded phones.

It'll take time for Apple and other american companies to crack the wall.

Damn apple owns the desktop sales revenue