The iPhone 6 Plus (L) and iPhone 6 (R) were successful in China. (Photo : Reuters)
With Apple Inc. set to unveil its new iPhone in the United States on Wednesday, Chinese scalpers are speculating the price of the device, widely called the iPhone 6s.
According to domestic news portal business.sohu.com, scalpers price the upcoming 128-gigabyte (GB) iPhone 6s Plus at over 20,000 yuan ($3,136).
Scalpers' price lists also have the 16-GB iPhone 6s selling for more than 9,000 yuan and the 16-GB iPhone 6s Plus costing as much as 16,000 yuan.
A scalper waiting outside an Apple Store in Beijing told the Global Times on Wednesday, "We do not know the exact price for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus yet, but you can give us a deposit if you want to reserve a new iPhone."
The scalper claimed that the shipments in Chinese mainland markets for the phone have not yet been announced.
Before it was even released, the iPhone 6 was sold for prices ranging from 8,000 yuan to 10,000 yuan, according to media reports.
When it comes to Apple products, it is common in China to speculate price even before the product is released.
In China, Apple fans believe that every generation of iPhone has a unique appeal, according to Zhu Dalin, analyst at Analysys International.
"Apple will maintain its momentum in the domestic smartphone market thanks to a group of loyal iPhone users who are strongly attached to the company's increasingly stable and improved operating system," said Zhu.
The appeal of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus can be attributed to its features, including A9 processors and Force Touch, as well as the availability of colorful designs.
Despite the iPhone's great success in China in the past, it is unlikely that the iPhone 6s will be released in China at the same time as the United States.
"The new iPhones are unlikely to debut on the Chinese mainland, which remains Apple's most important market," said Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research Group.
A delayed release in mainland China is expected to increase desire among Apple fans, a marketing strategy for Apple, according to Zhang.
