分析人士建议苹果推出廉价iPhone

    苹果（Apple）产品总是定价极高。【当每有评论人士指出，苹果电脑的市场份额低于PC制造商时，史蒂夫•乔布斯总是把苹果比作电脑界的梅赛德斯-奔驰（Mercedes-Benz），借此予以反驳。】现在的问题是，目前苹果公司在智能手机市场所占的份额已经颇为惊人，价格更低廉的iPhone手机能否使公司更进一步？部分分析师给出了肯定的回答。

    伯恩斯坦研究公司（Bernstein Research）分析师托尼•萨科纳吉最近的报告指出，未来五年，智能手机市场规模将扩大一倍以上，达到14亿台。虽然到2014年，苹果iPhone手机的销售额可能增长40%，但该研究公司认为，如果苹果不推出价格更低的iPhone手机，它的市场份额必将受到挤压。

    但这样一来，是否会打破苹果一直以来的高定价政策呢？答案是未必。

    托皮卡资本市场公司（Topeka Capital Markets）分析师布莱恩•怀特认为，对苹果而言，中国蕴含着巨大的机遇。虽然公司在中国已经取得飞速发展，但目前它忽略了一个巨大的群体：没有大笔可自由支配收入的中国普通消费者。怀特称：“苹果不一定要推出100美元的智能手机。但我认为，它可以推出200美元左右的手机，其中既有诸如苹果缓存等内在功能，又有苹果一贯的美感，再加上它的新奇，肯定会大受欢迎。”

    【关于苹果在中国的历程，请参考《财富》杂志（Fortune）近期封面故事《苹果能不能攻下中国？》】

    当然，苹果的旧机型目前已经在以低折扣销售。在美国，iPhone 4合约机可以免费获得，iPhone 4S则为99美元。理论上而言，这些设备在海外的销售情况肯定无法与新机型相比。原因很简单，不论是在令人惊叹的浦东苹果商店或是其他较为普通的店铺，消费者都想要最新、最棒的手机。

    如果要在同一价位的旧机型和所谓“新”机型之间选择，用户肯定会选择后者。人总是会有点“喜新厌旧”。而且，通常情况下，买一部智能手机算是很大的一笔开支，所以买最热型号才够有面子。而针对特定目的设计的更低价iPhone手机则能满足这种要求。

    怀特这样解释：“苹果有很多途径来这么做，iPad Mini就是最好的例子。接下来，针对iPhone手机，他们也可以这样做。”

    译者：刘进龙/汪皓

    Apple has always priced its products at a premium. (Steve Jobs was fond of comparing Apple to Mercedes-Benz when commentators pointed out the Mac relatively low market share compared to mass PC makers.) The question now is, does a cheaper iPhone model make sense to boost the company's formidable smartphone share even further? Some analysts argue yes.

    According to recent report by Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi, the smartphone market will more than double to 1.4 billion units during the next five years. And even though Apple (AAPL) is poised to see iPhone sales grow 40% on average through 2014, the research firm argues Apple will likely lose market share if it doesn't bring out a lower-priced iPhone.

    But wouldn't doing so clash with Apple's history of premium pricing? Not necessarily.

    Brian White, an analyst at Topeka Capital Markets, says there's real opportunity abroad in China for the company. Although Apple has gained tremendous momentum there, the company is currently overlooking a huge chunk of the population: the average consumer in China that doesn't have a huge discretionary income. "Apple doesn't need to have a $100 smartphone, but I think if you had something priced $200-ish-type range that had the cache of Apple, the aesthetics of Apple, and the newness, it would sell there," says White.

    (For more on Cupertino's odyssey in China, check out Fortune's recent cover story Can Apple win over China?)

    Of course, Apple already sells older iPhone models at deep discounts. A U.S. customer can pick up an iPhone 4 with contract for free and an iPhone 4S for $99. In theory, these devices wouldn't sell nearly as well abroad as a new model for one simple reason. Customers -- whether they're shopping in the breathtaking Pudong store or somewhere more prosaic -- want the latest and greatest.

    Made to choose between an older model or a so-called "new" model at the same price point, users will spring for the latter. People like "new." What's more, because a smartphone can often be an individuals one big expense, there's a certain amount of pride in purchasing the hottest device. A purpose-built cheaper iPhone would be just that.

    White puts it this way: "There are ways to work around it, and the iPad Mini is the perfect example with what they could start to do with smartphones and the iPhone."