10 Ways America Is Losing Its Superpower Status to China
Just a few years ago, most people around the globe viewed the U.S. as the world's leading economic power. Now, that title is passing to China, and here are 10 reasons why.
Just a few years ago, most people around the globe viewed the U.S. as the world's leading economic power. Now, that title is passing to China, and here are 10 reasons why.
Apple buys many components for its devices from Chinese suppliers. Now, it's getting more aggressive about selling those devices in the world's largest cell phone market, inking a deal to sell iPhones through No. 1 wireless operator China Mobile, which could substantially boost Apple's earnings.
Talks between Apple and China Mobile didn't go so well back in 2009, but Steve Jobs apparently wants to take another stab at getting his wildly popular iPhone onto the world's largest network. And Apple may be more accommodating about terms now that Google's Android is gaining share globally.
Positive earnings outlooks among some of Japan's major companies continued to boost investor sentiment. Japan's Nikkei 225 Index added 0.4% to close at 10,636. Hong Kong's Hang Seng slid 0.3% to end the day at 23,484. Markets in China remained closed for Chinese New Year.
Just a day after Apple announced that CEO Steve Jobs was off on his third medical leave since 2004, the stock's already on the rebound. The company smashed its first-quarter earnings expectations, thanks to soaring Asia-Pacific sales.
Asian markets headed higher on Wednesday. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng climbed 1.5% to 12,126 and in China the Shanghai Composite Index advanced 0.6% to 2,821. Japan's Nikkei 225 Index was virtually unchanged at 10,513.
When Apple first entered China with its wildly popular iPhone, the response was warm but not overly so. The iPhone 4, however, is off to a gangbuster start. If Apple can keep tapping China's potential, fervent shareholders could become even more bullish.
Apple's iPhone 4 went on sale this weekend in China and shelves emptied as over 200,000 units were bought.
Until now, the iPhones sold in China did not have WiFi capabilities. But this is soon to change. A government ban on WiFi has been lifted and as early as next week, China Unicom, Apple's carrier partner, plans to roll out eight-gigabyte iPhones with third-generation service and WiFi throughout the country.
Research-In-Motion's BlackBerry is under pressure in the U.S. from rival smartphones like the iPhone. So its plans to move quickly into China, the world's top mobile market, may have caused its stock to spike recently. But can the BlackBerry succeed in China?
China Unicom, with 200 million subscribers, has scrubbed Google search from its phones. Will China Mobile, with 500 million users, be next?
Google co-founder Sergey Brin has emerged as the key force behind the search giant's decision to close its China-based search engine, citing his experience growing up in the Soviet Union. Google may suffer in the long run, but in this case, Brin has put principle above profit.
China's regulations meant that no Wi-Fi-enabled consumer devices could be sold legally in the world's most populous nation, so Apple disabled the Wi-Fi on iPhones it marketed there. But the rules have changed, and Apple and its partner, China Unicom, are moving to take advantage.













