New Apple iPhones not sweet to Chinese market

Apple Inc's new iPhone devices are unlikely to stall the company's falling sales in China in the short term after many Chinese expressed disappointment with the newly unveiled products and dropped plans to buy one.

Apple launched its long-awaited new devices iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on Tuesday in Cupertino, California, where its headquarters are located. The iPhone 5S is equipped with a faster processor, a better camera and features fingerprint scanning. The starting price for the iPhone 5S is 5,288 yuan ($858) without a contract.

The iPhone 5C, which is described as a cheaper version, retains the same basic technology as the previous iPhone 5 handsets but has a colorful polycarbonate case. The device is believed to be a major move by Apple to gain back its momentum in emerging markets such as China. However, the starting price for the iPhone 5C is 4,488 yuan, far beyond the prices of lower-end smartphones in China, which can cost as little as 1,000 yuan each.