Adam Minter, Columnist

Apple's Betting China's Farmers Are No Rubes

Rural shoppers are on a hunt for quality.

May 3, 2016 at 10:00 PM UTC

Adam Minter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the business of sports. He is the author, most recently, of “Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale."

Rural consumers are more discerning about their smartphones.
Photographer: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

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Apple’s iPhone SE might be one of the company’s least impressive products in years. Its tech specs have been available in other iPhone models and Android devices for months, and its form factor dates back to the early part of the decade. Its only distinguishing factor is an entry-level price -- around $500 -- that Apple executives are hoping will bolster its fortunes in China, where sales are badly sagging.

It’s not a half-bad bet.