What’s so special about Apple (AAPL)? When the company made history Thursday by becoming the first U.S.-listed company to be valued at $1 trillion, people tried to answer that question.

苹果究竟有什么非同寻常之处？当该公司上周成为美国历史上第一家市值突破万亿美元的公司的时候，人们试图去回答这个问题。

It could be Apple’s innovative technology, high-quality premium products, or the smart business model of building an ecosystem. But what differentiates Apple from other frontrunners in the $1 trillion race could also be — China.

答案可能是苹果的创新技术和高质量的顶级产品，也可能是聪明的构建生态系统的商业模式。然而，让苹果在1万亿美元市值竞赛中拉开与其它几位劲敌的差距的，也可能是中国。

China is not just where Apple manufactures iPhones; the world’s largest smartphone market makes up about one-fifth of Apple’s revenue. While other U.S. tech giants are either blocked (Facebook and Google) or marginalized (Amazon) in China, Apple has managed to establish a strong presence there. During Wednesday’s earnings call, Apple reported a 19% year-over-year growth during the quarter in Greater China, the fourth consecutive quarter that it recorded double-digit growth in that region.

中国不仅是苹果iPhone的生产之地；该全球最大的智能手机市场还大约贡献了苹果总营收的五分之一。其他的美国科技巨头在中国要么没能建立起业务(Facebook和谷歌)，要么被边缘化(亚马逊)，而苹果则成功地在中国建立了强大的影响力。上周三公布的第三财季财报显示，苹果大中华区营收同比增长19%，连续第四个季度实现两位数增长。

In the first quarter of 2018, iPhones accounted for 13% of China’s smartphone market, according to Counterpoint Research. Though it’s facing challenges from local players like Huawei, which just surpassed Apple in smartphone sales for the first time, the access to the world’s fastest-growing consumer market with 550 million middle class gives a big boost to Apple’s bottom line. Here’s what Apple did to become a household name in China.

市场研究公司Counterpoint Research的数据显示，2018年第一季度，iPhone在中国智能手机市场的份额为13%。尽管它面临着来自华为（最近一个季度，其销量首次超过苹果）等本土企业的强力挑战，但该市场是全球增长最快的消费市场，拥有庞大的中产阶级，苹果的业绩因而还是能够得到很大的提振。下面就来说说苹果在中国是如何成为家喻户晓的品牌的。

Since 2008, Apple has been using omni channels and working with local carriers to bring its phones into the mainstream in China. When other retailers put phones behind locked glass counters, Apple leaves their phones out for display, so consumers can touch and play. Apple now runs more than 40 stores in China and has lined up more openings in inland cities.

自2008年以来，苹果一直在采取多渠道策略，与当地的电信运营商合作将其手机打入中国的主流市场。有的零售商把手机放在锁着的玻璃柜台里面，而苹果则把手机放在柜台上展示，让消费者能够随意把玩。苹果目前在中国拥有40多家门店，未来还将在内陆城市开设更多的门店。

Phone is a premium product in the U.S., and even more so in China, where most people’s monthly income can’t afford a $1,000 iPhone X. The image of being high-end and less affordable has made the iPhone even more desirable. Using the latest model of iPhone is usually associated with prestige.

iPhone在美国属于高端产品，在中国更是如此。在中国，大多数人的月收入都负担不起售价1000美元的iPhone X。iPhone高端和价格相对高昂的形象，反而使得消费者们对它更加向往。使用最新款的iPhone也会让消费者觉得更有面子。

“Chinese consumers are fanatic about aspirational logo driven status symbols,” said Shaun Rein, founder of China Market Research Group, who believes this gives the rise of iPhone as an “affordable luxury product.”

高端品牌咨询机构China Market Research Group创始人肖恩·赖因(Shaun Rein)表示，“中国消费者着迷于购买能够彰显社会地位的高档品牌。”他为，这帮助iPhone崛起成为一款“买得起的奢侈品”。

For foreign companies in China, dealing with the local government could be a major ordeal. U.S.-born internet companies usually face pressure from China’s censorship rules.

对于在中国的外企而言，与当地政府打交道可能是一场严峻的考验。美国的互联网公司在该国通常会面临监管方面的压力。

Apple CEO Tim Cook is in close contact with the Chinese government. He actively attends and speaks at state-hosted conferences.

苹果CEO蒂姆·库克（Tim Cook）与中国政府保持着密切的联系。他积极参加该国举办的大会，也时常上台发表讲话。

For Apple, the stakes are particularly high in China. “Even Apple doesn’t sell to Chinese consumers, they’re sourcing products from China. They can’t afford to upset the Chinese government, because if they were to do so, it’s gonna destroy their entire business,” Rein told Yahoo Finance.

对苹果来说，在中国做好这些工作尤其紧要。“即使苹果不向中国消费者出售产品，他们也得从中国采购产品。稍有差池的话，他们的整个业务可能都会毁掉。”赖恩向雅虎财经表示。

“Apple is an example Google wants to follow when it comes to regulatory and lobbying,” said Rein.

“在监管和游说方面，苹果是谷歌想要效仿的一个榜样。”赖恩表示。

（来源：爱语吧）