Apple X Factor: China Consumers Wowed by New iPhone, But Will They Buy?
sluggish
Adjective
ˈsləgɪʃslow
to make progress
The oil company reported sluggish revenues.
off the charts
Phrase
ɑf ðə tʃɑrts
very high
The radiation levels in the area are off the charts.
constraint
Noun
kənˈstreɪnt
a limitation or restriction
Marriage tends to bring with it a few constraints.
The cheaper iPhone 8, which hit the market in September, has faced sluggish sales, but Apple has said that pre-orders for the iPhone X have been "off the charts."
= more than expectation
"I always try to be one of the first to buy any new iPhone," he said, adding he likes the new phone's augmented reality and facial recognition features. "I'll be very disappointed if I don't get one on the first day."
----------
[오전 7:35:33] Nina: Apple X Factor: China Consumers Wowed by New iPhone, But Will They Buy?
[오전 7:42:29] Nina: won't
[오전 7:42:37] Nina: want
[오전 7:47:05] Nina: augmented reality = change reality.
VR.
[오전 7:49:25] Teacher Majorie: augmented = to make larger; enlarge in size, number, strength, or extent
[오전 7:50:20] Nina: "Before, I think a lot of people would try to get it somehow, now it's mostly the geeks," he said.
[오전 7:52:11] Nina: 100EU.
[오전 7:52:35] Nina: clumsy?
[오전 7:55:53] *** 통화 종료, 통화시간 25:38 ***
[오전 7:55:57] Teacher Majorie: Nina awesome as always!
It is always pleasure talking to you and sheering experiences.
Your English skills are very good - keep it up!
Talk to you soon !
[오전 7:56:27] Nina: |-) sleep tight!
have a nice dream.
[오전 7:56:56] Teacher Majorie: Thank you! :) (monkeygiggle)
Vocabulary
persuade
Verb
pərˈsweɪdto convince someone to do something
I persuaded my parents to let me attend the rock concert.
constraint
Noun
kənˈstreɪnta limitation or restriction
Marriage tends to bring with it a few constraints.
sluggish
Adjective
ˈsləgɪʃslow to make progress
The oil company reported sluggish revenues.
off the charts
Phrase
ɑf ðə tʃɑrtsvery high
The radiation levels in the area are off the charts.
geek
Noun
ɡiksomeone who is very interested in computers, gadgets and science
Over the years, geek culture became more accepted.
-----------------
Apple X Factor: China Consumers Wowed by New iPhone, But Will They Buy?
Gu Xiaomeng, a 24-year-old primary school teacher in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou, says she's excited about the new iPhone X. The challenge for Apple Inc is to persuade her to actually buy one.
"I'm definitely interested, but don't currently plan to get one," said Gu, whose monthly salary of a little over 6,000 yuan ($905.36) is less than the anniversary model's starting price in China of 8,388 yuan.
While interest in the phone in China is high, that won't necessarily translate into sales.
"Price appears to be a major constraint on iPhone X demand, particularly in China," analyst Toni Sacconaghi said in a recent report that showed three-quarters of Chinese respondents were excited by the upcoming launch, but only a quarter said they planned to buy one.
The cheaper iPhone 8, which hit the market in September, has faced sluggish sales, but Apple has said that pre-orders for the iPhone X have been "off the charts."
Xiao Ming, 32, stayed up half the night when pre-sales of the iPhone X opened last week. He has also bought the iPhone 8.
"I always try to be one of the first to buy any new iPhone," he said, adding he likes the new phone's augmented reality and facial recognition features. "I'll be very disappointed if I don't get one on the first day."
While he plans to buy the new phone, he noted many of his friends were less excited. "Before, I think a lot of people would try to get it somehow, now it's mostly the geeks," he said.
Wang Hao, a 24-year-old engineer in the northeastern port city of Dalian, said he ordered the new phone despite the high price tag. His last phone was an iPhone 6S.
"The cost is about a month's salary for me," he told Reuters. "But I'm just used to it now, and there wasn't really anything to make me choose another brand."
-----------
1.
Why will Apple have a hard time selling the iPhone X in China?
2.
How has the iPhone 8 fared on the Chinese market?
3.
Which people are always trying to buy the newest iPhone, according to Xiao Ming?
Exercise 4
Discussion
1.
Are you of the opinion that the iPhone X is too expensive? Why? Why not?
2.
Do you expect the iPhone X to be a commercial success despite the high price tag? Why? Why not?
3.
Would you ever consider spending a month's salary on a smartphone? Why? Why not?
4.
Do many of your friends plan on buying the iPhone X? Please explain your answer.
5.
Do you always try to be one of the first to buy the latest smartphone? Why? Why not?
---------
1.
Do you plan on buying the iPhone X? Why? Why not?
2.
Are you loyal to a particular smartphone brand? If so, which one and why? if not, why not?
3.
What smartphone brand do the majority of your acquaintances prefer? Why do you think that is the case?
4.
Would you describe Apple as an innovative company? Why? Why not?
5.
How would you explain the fact that the iPhone has remained popular for a decade?
6.
Annual iPhone sales will shrink, especially if Apple persists in charging $800 for its phones while the average price of smartphones plummets worldwide. - Henry Blodget. Do you agree with this prediction? Why? Why not?
7.
Here is a new car, a new iPhone. We buy. We discard. We buy again. In recent years, we've been doing it faster. - Arlie Russell Hochschild. - What is your take on modern consumer culture?
Exercises for Further Self-Study
These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.
Adjective
ˈsləgɪʃslow
to make progress
The oil company reported sluggish revenues.
off the charts
Phrase
ɑf ðə tʃɑrts
very high
The radiation levels in the area are off the charts.
constraint
Noun
kənˈstreɪnt
a limitation or restriction
Marriage tends to bring with it a few constraints.
The cheaper iPhone 8, which hit the market in September, has faced sluggish sales, but Apple has said that pre-orders for the iPhone X have been "off the charts."
= more than expectation
"I always try to be one of the first to buy any new iPhone," he said, adding he likes the new phone's augmented reality and facial recognition features. "I'll be very disappointed if I don't get one on the first day."
----------
[오전 7:35:33] Nina: Apple X Factor: China Consumers Wowed by New iPhone, But Will They Buy?
[오전 7:42:29] Nina: won't
[오전 7:42:37] Nina: want
[오전 7:47:05] Nina: augmented reality = change reality.
VR.
[오전 7:49:25] Teacher Majorie: augmented = to make larger; enlarge in size, number, strength, or extent
[오전 7:50:20] Nina: "Before, I think a lot of people would try to get it somehow, now it's mostly the geeks," he said.
[오전 7:52:11] Nina: 100EU.
[오전 7:52:35] Nina: clumsy?
[오전 7:55:53] *** 통화 종료, 통화시간 25:38 ***
[오전 7:55:57] Teacher Majorie: Nina awesome as always!
It is always pleasure talking to you and sheering experiences.
Your English skills are very good - keep it up!
Talk to you soon !
[오전 7:56:27] Nina: |-) sleep tight!
have a nice dream.
[오전 7:56:56] Teacher Majorie: Thank you! :) (monkeygiggle)
Vocabulary
persuade
Verb
pərˈsweɪdto convince someone to do something
I persuaded my parents to let me attend the rock concert.
constraint
Noun
kənˈstreɪnta limitation or restriction
Marriage tends to bring with it a few constraints.
sluggish
Adjective
ˈsləgɪʃslow to make progress
The oil company reported sluggish revenues.
off the charts
Phrase
ɑf ðə tʃɑrtsvery high
The radiation levels in the area are off the charts.
geek
Noun
ɡiksomeone who is very interested in computers, gadgets and science
Over the years, geek culture became more accepted.
-----------------
Apple X Factor: China Consumers Wowed by New iPhone, But Will They Buy?
Gu Xiaomeng, a 24-year-old primary school teacher in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou, says she's excited about the new iPhone X. The challenge for Apple Inc is to persuade her to actually buy one.
"I'm definitely interested, but don't currently plan to get one," said Gu, whose monthly salary of a little over 6,000 yuan ($905.36) is less than the anniversary model's starting price in China of 8,388 yuan.
While interest in the phone in China is high, that won't necessarily translate into sales.
"Price appears to be a major constraint on iPhone X demand, particularly in China," analyst Toni Sacconaghi said in a recent report that showed three-quarters of Chinese respondents were excited by the upcoming launch, but only a quarter said they planned to buy one.
The cheaper iPhone 8, which hit the market in September, has faced sluggish sales, but Apple has said that pre-orders for the iPhone X have been "off the charts."
Xiao Ming, 32, stayed up half the night when pre-sales of the iPhone X opened last week. He has also bought the iPhone 8.
"I always try to be one of the first to buy any new iPhone," he said, adding he likes the new phone's augmented reality and facial recognition features. "I'll be very disappointed if I don't get one on the first day."
While he plans to buy the new phone, he noted many of his friends were less excited. "Before, I think a lot of people would try to get it somehow, now it's mostly the geeks," he said.
Wang Hao, a 24-year-old engineer in the northeastern port city of Dalian, said he ordered the new phone despite the high price tag. His last phone was an iPhone 6S.
"The cost is about a month's salary for me," he told Reuters. "But I'm just used to it now, and there wasn't really anything to make me choose another brand."
-----------
1.
Why will Apple have a hard time selling the iPhone X in China?
2.
How has the iPhone 8 fared on the Chinese market?
3.
Which people are always trying to buy the newest iPhone, according to Xiao Ming?
Exercise 4
Discussion
1.
Are you of the opinion that the iPhone X is too expensive? Why? Why not?
2.
Do you expect the iPhone X to be a commercial success despite the high price tag? Why? Why not?
3.
Would you ever consider spending a month's salary on a smartphone? Why? Why not?
4.
Do many of your friends plan on buying the iPhone X? Please explain your answer.
5.
Do you always try to be one of the first to buy the latest smartphone? Why? Why not?
---------
1.
Do you plan on buying the iPhone X? Why? Why not?
2.
Are you loyal to a particular smartphone brand? If so, which one and why? if not, why not?
3.
What smartphone brand do the majority of your acquaintances prefer? Why do you think that is the case?
4.
Would you describe Apple as an innovative company? Why? Why not?
5.
How would you explain the fact that the iPhone has remained popular for a decade?
6.
Annual iPhone sales will shrink, especially if Apple persists in charging $800 for its phones while the average price of smartphones plummets worldwide. - Henry Blodget. Do you agree with this prediction? Why? Why not?
7.
Here is a new car, a new iPhone. We buy. We discard. We buy again. In recent years, we've been doing it faster. - Arlie Russell Hochschild. - What is your take on modern consumer culture?
Exercises for Further Self-Study
These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.
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