As Apple tries to maintain its growth and success in China, the world's largest smart-phone market is becoming even more critical. Apple's shares(股份) fell sharply as the company's earnings for the holiday quarter through December disappointed investors.
The sales of the iPhone, which include both the iPhone 5 and older models, came in at the low end of analysts' expectations, while the company's income plan for the second quarter was below analysts' forecasts, though Apple is known to give conservative (保守的) forecasts.
Som'6 analysts have said that for Apple to regain its growth, the company.needs a more aggressive strategy for markets, or more specifically for China, where the market for smart phones has been expanding more rapidly than anywhere else. In China, demand is particularly great for inexpensive phones that run on Android(安卓) operating system, sold by many Chinese phone makers as well as South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co.
But Apple says it's already enjoying strong growth in China. "We saw big growth in iPhones,"Chief Executive Tim Cook said. He said that the company has been quickly expanding its sales channels in China, including the number of Apple stores. "This isn't nearly what we need, we're not even close to that, but we're making great progress. " he said.
In China, a big missing piece for Apple is China Mobile Ltd. , the biggest local telecom carrier that doesn't yet sell the iPhone. Earlier this month, Mr. Cook met China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua in Beijing and discussed cooperation, stirring hopes that the world's largest mobile carrier may soon start offering the iPhone.
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on a lower-end iPhone that could launch as early as this year. But one possible challenge for Apple in China is that low-pricod Android-based phones are getting better in terms of quality. A report from CLSA in late November showed that many smart-phones sold at about 1,000 yuan ( $160) came with higher-reso-lution screens, better cameras and more powerful processors than phones at that price did a year earlier.
小题1:Apple's shares dropped sharply because in December__
A．the iPhone wasn't popular in China
B．its product quality was widely criticized
C．the earnings for the holiday quarter was disappointing
D．the investors were not satisfied with Apple's management小题2:What can we learn from the passage?
A．Apple tends to offer a lower sales forecast.
B．China Mobile Ltd began to team up with Apple.
C．Cook is pessimistic about what Apple did in China.
D．Apple didn't take measures to develop Chinese market.小题3:The author uses the report from CLSA to prove
A．their prices are actually lower than a year earlier
B．Apple in China has ability to deal with any problem
C．low-ended Android-based phones are progressing fast
D．the promotion of lower-end iPhone will face a challenge小题4:The main purpose of the passage is to show the readers __
A．Apple.'s high popularity in China
B．the challenge Apple faces in China
C．the approaching failure Apple will suffer in China
D．Apple's aggressive strategy in its market expansion