Asustek Apologizes For Zenfone Pricing Dispute
TAIPEI -- Taiwan's Asustek (華碩) Computer Inc. apologized yesterday for pricing its low-cost ZenFone smartphone models higher inward Taiwan than inward China, which has created negative tilt for the PC vendor over the yesteryear week.
“We are genuinely sad for the inconvenience nosotros direct maintain brought to Taiwanese consumers,” Asustek Chairman Jonney Shih (施崇棠) told a press briefing inward Taipei. “We are non doing good inward closed to aspects in addition to nosotros volition direct maintain the blame amongst an opened upwards mind.”
Asustek CEO Jerry Shen (沈振來) admitted that the firm's conclusion to upgrade ZenFone models for the China marketplace to improve hardware specifications was to direct maintain into trouble concern human relationship the strong contest from Chinese handset maker Xiaomi Corp.'s novel Hongmi Note, a 5.5-inch octa-core smartphone that starts from solely 799 Chinese yuan (US$128).
The apology came a calendar week afterward Asustek announced its ZenFone line inward Taiwan on Apr 8 amongst a toll tag of NT$4,990 (US$166) for a 5-inch model in addition to NT$6,990 for a 6-inch model.
When the ZenFone models were released inward China on Apr 11, however, the Chinese versions were constitute to last less expensive than the Taiwanese versions yesteryear every bit much every bit NT$500, drawing criticism from Taiwanese customers who had pre-ordered or purchased the phones earlier.
Asustek Chief Financial Officer David Chang announced Th that the companionship volition cutting prices in addition to upgrade hardware specifications for the ZenFone models for the Taiwan market, bringing them inward line amongst the Chinese versions.
Taiwanese customers who are dissatisfied amongst the compensation offering tin terminate refund their orders, Chang said, adding that nearly xx share of the 80,000 pre-ordered ZenFone models direct maintain been refunded in addition to then far.
Asustek forecast Apr 8 that it would sell five meg smartphones of the ZenFone serial worldwide yesteryear the halt of 2014 to give its revenue a year-on-year boost. The companionship sold 1.5 meg smartphones concluding year, including the PadFone in addition to Fonepad models.
Manufacturing Capacity Boost from May
Asustek plans to boost its smartphone manufacturing capacity adjacent calendar month to satisfy solid postulate for its low-cost ZenFone range, Shen said yesterday.
The monthly worldwide shipments of Asustek's smartphones are expected to increase from 200,000-300,000 units inward Apr to 400,000-500,000 units inward May, Shen told a press briefing to address a recent ZenFone pricing controversy.
The manufacturing capacity is estimated to hitting a maximum of over 500,000 units inward June, amongst distributors in addition to retailers having already placed huge orders for the pop ZenFone models, he said.
That agency the monthly production scale for May in addition to June volition last comparable amongst the full-year shipments of 400,000 to 500,000 units of Asustek's 2013 flagship PadFone models, Shen said.
The companionship forecast Apr 8 that it would sell five meg smartphones this yr to give its revenue a year-on-year boost. The companionship sold 1.5 meg smartphones concluding year, including the PadFone in addition to nearly 1 meg units of the Fonepad, a 7-inch hybrid device amongst telephone in addition to tablet functions.
Source:http://m.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2014/04/18/405620/Asustek-apologizes.htm
Asustek CEO Jerry Shen (沈振來) admitted that the firm's conclusion to upgrade ZenFone models for the China marketplace to improve hardware specifications was to direct maintain into trouble concern human relationship the strong contest from Chinese handset maker Xiaomi Corp.'s novel Hongmi Note, a 5.5-inch octa-core smartphone that starts from solely 799 Chinese yuan (US$128).
The apology came a calendar week afterward Asustek announced its ZenFone line inward Taiwan on Apr 8 amongst a toll tag of NT$4,990 (US$166) for a 5-inch model in addition to NT$6,990 for a 6-inch model.
When the ZenFone models were released inward China on Apr 11, however, the Chinese versions were constitute to last less expensive than the Taiwanese versions yesteryear every bit much every bit NT$500, drawing criticism from Taiwanese customers who had pre-ordered or purchased the phones earlier.
Asustek Chief Financial Officer David Chang announced Th that the companionship volition cutting prices in addition to upgrade hardware specifications for the ZenFone models for the Taiwan market, bringing them inward line amongst the Chinese versions.
Taiwanese customers who are dissatisfied amongst the compensation offering tin terminate refund their orders, Chang said, adding that nearly xx share of the 80,000 pre-ordered ZenFone models direct maintain been refunded in addition to then far.
Asustek forecast Apr 8 that it would sell five meg smartphones of the ZenFone serial worldwide yesteryear the halt of 2014 to give its revenue a year-on-year boost. The companionship sold 1.5 meg smartphones concluding year, including the PadFone in addition to Fonepad models.
Manufacturing Capacity Boost from May
Asustek plans to boost its smartphone manufacturing capacity adjacent calendar month to satisfy solid postulate for its low-cost ZenFone range, Shen said yesterday.
The monthly worldwide shipments of Asustek's smartphones are expected to increase from 200,000-300,000 units inward Apr to 400,000-500,000 units inward May, Shen told a press briefing to address a recent ZenFone pricing controversy.
The manufacturing capacity is estimated to hitting a maximum of over 500,000 units inward June, amongst distributors in addition to retailers having already placed huge orders for the pop ZenFone models, he said.
That agency the monthly production scale for May in addition to June volition last comparable amongst the full-year shipments of 400,000 to 500,000 units of Asustek's 2013 flagship PadFone models, Shen said.
The companionship forecast Apr 8 that it would sell five meg smartphones this yr to give its revenue a year-on-year boost. The companionship sold 1.5 meg smartphones concluding year, including the PadFone in addition to nearly 1 meg units of the Fonepad, a 7-inch hybrid device amongst telephone in addition to tablet functions.
Source:http://m.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2014/04/18/405620/Asustek-apologizes.htm
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