Smartphones in China

　　中國的智能手機市場

　　Taking a bite out of Apple

　　分蘋果一杯羹

　　Xiaomi, often described as Chinas answer to Apple,is actually quite different

　　有中國的蘋果之稱的小米實際上跟蘋果很不一樣。

　　IT FEELS more like a rock concert than a press conference as the casually dressed chiefexecutive takes to a darkened stage to unveil his firms sleek new smartphone to an adoringcrowd. Yet this was not the launch of the new iPhone by Apple on September 10th, but of theMi-3 handset by Xiaomi, a Chinese firm, in Beijing on September 5th. With its emphasis onsnazzy design, glitzy launches and the cult-like fervour it inspires in its users, no wonderXiaomi is often compared to its giant American rival, both by admirers and by critics who callit a copycat. Xiaomis boss, Lei Jun , even wears jeans and a black shirt, SteveJobs-style. Is Xiaomi really Chinas answer to Apple?

　　小米的發布會比起資訊發布會更像是一場搖滾音樂會。打扮隨意的首席執行官登上深色的舞臺向粉絲們揭開其公司最新的時尚智能手機。然而，這不是9月10日蘋果的新iPhone發布會，而食中國公司小米9月5日在北京舉行的小米3發布會。憑借其時尚的設計，炫目的發布會和用戶被激發出的瘋狂的熱情，小米難免經常被崇拜者和批評者同美國的競爭對手蘋果作比較，批評家稱其產品為山寨貨。小米的老板，雷軍，甚至穿著類似喬布斯風格的牛仔褲和黑色短袖。小米真的是中國的蘋果嗎?

　　Xiaomi sold 7.2m handsets last year, in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, earning revenues of12.6 billion yuan . Apple sold 125m smartphones globally, earning about $80billion of its $157 billion sales. But since it was founded in 2010, Xiaomi has grown fast. Arecent funding round valued it at $10 billion, more than Microsoft just paid for Nokias handsetunit. That made Xiaomi one of the 15 most heavily venture-backed mobile start-ups ever,says Rajeev Chand of Rutberg, an investment bank. In the second quarter of 2023 Xiaomismarket share in China was 5%, says Canalys, a research firmmore than Apples forthe first time.

　　去年小米在中國大陸，香港和臺灣一共售出了7200萬臺手機，收入達126億人民幣。蘋果在全球賣出了1.25億臺手機，銷售額為1570億美元，收入達到800億美元。但是由于小米始建于2010年，小米的增長速度極快。最近的一輪融資，小米估值達100億美元，超過微軟剛剛買下的諾基亞手機部門。投資銀行Rutberg的Rajeev Chand表示這使得小米成為全球目前為止最值錢的15個手機公司之一。

　　Yet we have never compared ourselves to Applewe are more like Amazon, says Lin Bin,Xiaomis co-founder, who once worked for the Chinese arms of Microsoft and Google. Applesells its iPhone 5 for around $860 in China and has the industrys highest margins. Xiaomioffers its handsets at or near cost: the Mi-3, its new flagship, costs 2,000 yuan . Xiaomisells direct to customers online, rather than via network operators or retail stores, whichalso keeps prices down. Crucially, its business depends on selling services to its users, just asAmazon provides its Kindle readers at low prices and makes its money on the sale of e-books.The idea is to make a profit from customers as they use the handset, rather than from thesale of the hardware, says Mr Lin.

　　然而，曾在微軟和谷歌工作過的小米聯合創始人林斌表示，我們從沒有跟蘋果對比，我們更像是亞馬遜。蘋果的iPhone5在中國的售價約為860美元，是行業中利潤率最高的手機。小米提供的手機接近成本，新旗艦米3售價為2000元。小米通過線上商店直接賣給消費者，而不是通過網絡運營商或零售商店，這也壓低了價格。最重要的是，它的業務依賴于將服務賣給用戶，就像亞馬遜提供低價的kindle閱讀器，通過賣電子書賺錢。林先生表示，這個想法是通過用戶對手機的使用賺取利潤，而不是通過硬件銷售。

　　Xiaomis services revenues were 20m yuan in August, up from 10m yuan in April. It is aclassic internet business model: build an audience then monetise it later, as Google andFacebook did, notes Mr Lin. Selling games, custom wallpapers and virtual gifts may not soundvery lucrative, but Chinas internet giants have found a huge market for virtual goods: thebiggest, Tencent, sold $5 billion-worth of them last year.

　　小米8月份的服務收入為2000萬，從四月的1000萬增長至此。林先生指出，這是一種典型的互聯網商業模式：吸引聽眾然后套現，谷歌和facebook也是這么做的。售賣游戲，自定義壁紙和虛擬禮品聽起來沒那么利潤豐厚，但是中國的互聯網巨頭們找到了虛擬物品的巨大市場：最大的騰訊去年賣出了50億美元的虛擬物品。

　　Another big difference is their openness to user feedback. Apple takes an almost Stalinistapproach to its handsets, limiting user customisation in favour of a we know best designphilosophy. Xiaomi is more guided by its users, releasing a new version of its MIUI software every week in response to their suggestions.In some cases Xiaomi asks users to vote via weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, onwhether particular features should be included or how they should worka form ofdemocracy its American rival would never countenance.

　　另外一個很大的不同是他們對待消費者反饋的態度。蘋果對自己的手機采取的幾乎是斯大林式的方法，限制用戶定制，用一種我們知道什么是最好的設計哲學。小米更以用戶為導向，每周發行一個新版本的MIUI軟件響應用戶的建議。有些時候，小米會通過微博投票征求用戶的建議，這是其美國對手絕對不會贊同的民主工作形式。

　　Apples launch this week of the iPhone 5C, a colourful, slightly cheaper version of the iPhoneaimed at consumers in China and other developing countries, marks a shift in its strategyas it faces competition from Xiaomi and many other Chinese firms. Apples handsets havesold well in developed countries, but those markets are maturing. Global sales ofsmartphones are growing by 50% a year, notes Canalys, but by 108% a year in China, whichnow accounts for over one-third of global sales.

　　這周蘋果發布了iPhone 5c，一款彩色版稍便宜的iPhone，這款設備旨在吸引中國和其他發展中國家的消費者，標志著在諸如小米和其他中國公司的競爭下戰略的轉變。蘋果的手機在發達國家非常暢銷，但是這些市場相對成熟。Canalys指出，全球智能手機銷量每年增長50%，但是在中國增速為108%，占據全球三分之一的銷量。

　　For the first time, Apple held an official launch event in Beijing this week, indicating itsgrowing interest in this market. Yet there was widespread surprise at the high price of the5C, which will cost $733 in China, limiting its appeal among less wealthy buyers. A rumoureddeal with China Mobile to distribute the iPhone 5C and subsidise its cost has so far failed tomaterialise.

　　本周蘋果首次在北京舉辦了官方發布會，表明其在中國市場的興趣與日俱增。但是外界對5c的價格普遍感到驚訝，在中國售價高達733美元，限制了其對不太富裕買家的吸引力。傳言與中國移動的交易銷售iPhone5c以及補貼方案至今都沒有實現。

　　Xiaomi the money

　　小米的資金

　　As Apple looks to tap the rapid growth of the Chinese market, Xiaomi is heading the otherway. It recently hired Hugo Barra, a Google executive responsible for product developmentfor Android, to develop new products for international markets.

　　隨著蘋果開始注意挖掘中國市場的快速增長，小米選擇了另一條路。最近小米聘請了谷歌安卓產品開發主管Hugo Barra為國際市場開發新產品。

　　Yet Xiaomi and other Chinese firms sell so many games, apps and add-ons in large partbecause the Chinese government requires handsets to run a neutered version of the Androidoperating system, without Googles app store, mail service, maps and other features. Thathelps Xiaomi sell its own replacement services, an advantage it will lose once it stepsoutside China. How scared should Apple be, really, of a rival that has yet to prove that itsbusiness model will work at home, let alone abroad?

　　然而，小米和其他中國公司銷售如此多的游戲，應用和插件很大程度上是因為中國政府要求手機運行一個閹割版的安卓操作系統，不包括谷歌的應用程序商店，郵件服務，地圖和其他功能。這有助于小米銷售期自己的替代服務，而這在國際市場上會失去優勢。小米的商業模式在國內尚未稱得上成功，更不用說在國外了，蘋果應該為此感到害怕嗎?

　　Smartphones in China

　　中國的智能手機市場

　　Taking a bite out of Apple

　　分蘋果一杯羹

　　Xiaomi, often described as Chinas answer to Apple,is actually quite different

　　有中國的蘋果之稱的小米實際上跟蘋果很不一樣。

　　IT FEELS more like a rock concert than a press conference as the casually dressed chiefexecutive takes to a darkened stage to unveil his firms sleek new smartphone to an adoringcrowd. Yet this was not the launch of the new iPhone by Apple on September 10th, but of theMi-3 handset by Xiaomi, a Chinese firm, in Beijing on September 5th. With its emphasis onsnazzy design, glitzy launches and the cult-like fervour it inspires in its users, no wonderXiaomi is often compared to its giant American rival, both by admirers and by critics who callit a copycat. Xiaomis boss, Lei Jun , even wears jeans and a black shirt, SteveJobs-style. Is Xiaomi really Chinas answer to Apple?

　　小米的發布會比起資訊發布會更像是一場搖滾音樂會。打扮隨意的首席執行官登上深色的舞臺向粉絲們揭開其公司最新的時尚智能手機。然而，這不是9月10日蘋果的新iPhone發布會，而食中國公司小米9月5日在北京舉行的小米3發布會。憑借其時尚的設計，炫目的發布會和用戶被激發出的瘋狂的熱情，小米難免經常被崇拜者和批評者同美國的競爭對手蘋果作比較，批評家稱其產品為山寨貨。小米的老板，雷軍，甚至穿著類似喬布斯風格的牛仔褲和黑色短袖。小米真的是中國的蘋果嗎?

　　Xiaomi sold 7.2m handsets last year, in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, earning revenues of12.6 billion yuan . Apple sold 125m smartphones globally, earning about $80billion of its $157 billion sales. But since it was founded in 2010, Xiaomi has grown fast. Arecent funding round valued it at $10 billion, more than Microsoft just paid for Nokias handsetunit. That made Xiaomi one of the 15 most heavily venture-backed mobile start-ups ever,says Rajeev Chand of Rutberg, an investment bank. In the second quarter of 2023 Xiaomismarket share in China was 5%, says Canalys, a research firmmore than Apples forthe first time.

　　去年小米在中國大陸，香港和臺灣一共售出了7200萬臺手機，收入達126億人民幣。蘋果在全球賣出了1.25億臺手機，銷售額為1570億美元，收入達到800億美元。但是由于小米始建于2010年，小米的增長速度極快。最近的一輪融資，小米估值達100億美元，超過微軟剛剛買下的諾基亞手機部門。投資銀行Rutberg的Rajeev Chand表示這使得小米成為全球目前為止最值錢的15個手機公司之一。

　　Yet we have never compared ourselves to Applewe are more like Amazon, says Lin Bin,Xiaomis co-founder, who once worked for the Chinese arms of Microsoft and Google. Applesells its iPhone 5 for around $860 in China and has the industrys highest margins. Xiaomioffers its handsets at or near cost: the Mi-3, its new flagship, costs 2,000 yuan . Xiaomisells direct to customers online, rather than via network operators or retail stores, whichalso keeps prices down. Crucially, its business depends on selling services to its users, just asAmazon provides its Kindle readers at low prices and makes its money on the sale of e-books.The idea is to make a profit from customers as they use the handset, rather than from thesale of the hardware, says Mr Lin.

　　然而，曾在微軟和谷歌工作過的小米聯合創始人林斌表示，我們從沒有跟蘋果對比，我們更像是亞馬遜。蘋果的iPhone5在中國的售價約為860美元，是行業中利潤率最高的手機。小米提供的手機接近成本，新旗艦米3售價為2000元。小米通過線上商店直接賣給消費者，而不是通過網絡運營商或零售商店，這也壓低了價格。最重要的是，它的業務依賴于將服務賣給用戶，就像亞馬遜提供低價的kindle閱讀器，通過賣電子書賺錢。林先生表示，這個想法是通過用戶對手機的使用賺取利潤，而不是通過硬件銷售。

　　Xiaomis services revenues were 20m yuan in August, up from 10m yuan in April. It is aclassic internet business model: build an audience then monetise it later, as Google andFacebook did, notes Mr Lin. Selling games, custom wallpapers and virtual gifts may not soundvery lucrative, but Chinas internet giants have found a huge market for virtual goods: thebiggest, Tencent, sold $5 billion-worth of them last year.

　　小米8月份的服務收入為2000萬，從四月的1000萬增長至此。林先生指出，這是一種典型的互聯網商業模式：吸引聽眾然后套現，谷歌和facebook也是這么做的。售賣游戲，自定義壁紙和虛擬禮品聽起來沒那么利潤豐厚，但是中國的互聯網巨頭們找到了虛擬物品的巨大市場：最大的騰訊去年賣出了50億美元的虛擬物品。

　　Another big difference is their openness to user feedback. Apple takes an almost Stalinistapproach to its handsets, limiting user customisation in favour of a we know best designphilosophy. Xiaomi is more guided by its users, releasing a new version of its MIUI software every week in response to their suggestions.In some cases Xiaomi asks users to vote via weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, onwhether particular features should be included or how they should worka form ofdemocracy its American rival would never countenance.

　　另外一個很大的不同是他們對待消費者反饋的態度。蘋果對自己的手機采取的幾乎是斯大林式的方法，限制用戶定制，用一種我們知道什么是最好的設計哲學。小米更以用戶為導向，每周發行一個新版本的MIUI軟件響應用戶的建議。有些時候，小米會通過微博投票征求用戶的建議，這是其美國對手絕對不會贊同的民主工作形式。

　　Apples launch this week of the iPhone 5C, a colourful, slightly cheaper version of the iPhoneaimed at consumers in China and other developing countries, marks a shift in its strategyas it faces competition from Xiaomi and many other Chinese firms. Apples handsets havesold well in developed countries, but those markets are maturing. Global sales ofsmartphones are growing by 50% a year, notes Canalys, but by 108% a year in China, whichnow accounts for over one-third of global sales.

　　這周蘋果發布了iPhone 5c，一款彩色版稍便宜的iPhone，這款設備旨在吸引中國和其他發展中國家的消費者，標志著在諸如小米和其他中國公司的競爭下戰略的轉變。蘋果的手機在發達國家非常暢銷，但是這些市場相對成熟。Canalys指出，全球智能手機銷量每年增長50%，但是在中國增速為108%，占據全球三分之一的銷量。

　　For the first time, Apple held an official launch event in Beijing this week, indicating itsgrowing interest in this market. Yet there was widespread surprise at the high price of the5C, which will cost $733 in China, limiting its appeal among less wealthy buyers. A rumoureddeal with China Mobile to distribute the iPhone 5C and subsidise its cost has so far failed tomaterialise.

　　本周蘋果首次在北京舉辦了官方發布會，表明其在中國市場的興趣與日俱增。但是外界對5c的價格普遍感到驚訝，在中國售價高達733美元，限制了其對不太富裕買家的吸引力。傳言與中國移動的交易銷售iPhone5c以及補貼方案至今都沒有實現。

　　Xiaomi the money

　　小米的資金

　　As Apple looks to tap the rapid growth of the Chinese market, Xiaomi is heading the otherway. It recently hired Hugo Barra, a Google executive responsible for product developmentfor Android, to develop new products for international markets.

　　隨著蘋果開始注意挖掘中國市場的快速增長，小米選擇了另一條路。最近小米聘請了谷歌安卓產品開發主管Hugo Barra為國際市場開發新產品。

　　Yet Xiaomi and other Chinese firms sell so many games, apps and add-ons in large partbecause the Chinese government requires handsets to run a neutered version of the Androidoperating system, without Googles app store, mail service, maps and other features. Thathelps Xiaomi sell its own replacement services, an advantage it will lose once it stepsoutside China. How scared should Apple be, really, of a rival that has yet to prove that itsbusiness model will work at home, let alone abroad?

　　然而，小米和其他中國公司銷售如此多的游戲，應用和插件很大程度上是因為中國政府要求手機運行一個閹割版的安卓操作系統，不包括谷歌的應用程序商店，郵件服務，地圖和其他功能。這有助于小米銷售期自己的替代服務，而這在國際市場上會失去優勢。小米的商業模式在國內尚未稱得上成功，更不用說在國外了，蘋果應該為此感到害怕嗎?