iPhone smuggling into China is nothing new, but this year it has perhaps been even more of a problem as Apple awaits regulatory approvals to begin selling its new iPhone models in the country. The good news is that a report from CNBC notes that regulators in the country said today that final reviews of licenses for the new iPhones would be “completed soon”.
While the exact reason behind the delays for approvals is still unknown. A recent local report claimed the iPhone 6 might not go on sale in China until next year citing Apple’s inability to reach an “agreement with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology this month.”Reuters reported earlier this month that “one industry source familiar with the certification process said the MIIT usually takes one to two months to approve a new phone.” Others speculate support for FDD-LTE networks in the iPhone 6 is holding up the launch as regulators work to work through final approvals for the technology.
CNBC today said that the news today has had an impact on the black market after regulators confirmed final approvals would be “completed soon.” Prices for the new iPhones have reportedly fallen from around $1900 for an iPhone 6 and as much as $3250 for an iPhone 6 Plus following the news. CNBC reporter Eunice Yoon also claims in the clip embedded above that smugglers have been able to get past customs by putting the iPhones in coffee tins, toothpaste boxes, and the equivalent of Twinkie boxes.
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Black market = illegal. Is there anything illegal about buying a phone in the US and bringing it back to China?
Probably some of this iPhones was imported into the country as personal device, without paying import taxes. Than this people sell it inside the country. That’s why it calls black market.
Meanwhile black market demand for Samsung and Androids stay strady at none.
Guys, the term is grey market, not black market. Grey market is totally legal. I was one of the early grey market sellers of Apple products into a country I shall not name, that forced Apple to step in and force that country’s official resellers to stop almost doubling prices for Macs. They are now cheaper to buy them locally then import them. What grey marketers do is bring fairness to the marketplace when the official distribution channels have a monopoly on price that’s taking advantage of the consumer. Apple effectively put me out of business, but everyone is better off now, so IMO it’s win/win. I had my hands in many pies, so I didn’t care about losing this.
Yea!!
these prices were as of last friday 9/19 only. As of today you’d be lucky to make USD$100 for your unlocked device…And there’s no demand for 128gb models either as the Chinese only buy them for bragging rights but few knows how to truly use an iPhone (ie. they got no apps, no photos, nothing that really prompts them to get the 64gb / 128gb model).