Apple Inc. (AAPL): Did China’s Media Blitz Just Dent It?

On the call, Cook also noted that iPad units were up 138% from last year, and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) saw new records for both iPhone and iPad sell-through. There were also some timing differences to acknowledge. Last year, the iPhone 4S was launched in the first quarter on both China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited (NYSE:CHU) and China Telecom Corporation Limited (NYSE:CHA), while this time the iPhone 5 launched in the fourth quarter. Boosting iPhone channel inventories last year ($1.6 billion in China) increased revenue, negatively affecting this quarter’s year-over-year comparison since building channel inventory already took place last quarter.

That said, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s work in China is far from over. The company is looking to double retail stores over the next two years, and Cook still thinks iPhone distribution points are too low.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) saw some deceleration in China for a number of reasons, and the media blitz probably played a small role in that. The good news is that there aren’t likely to be any long-term effects and Cook knows what needs to be done.

The article Did China’s Media Blitz Put a Dent in Apple? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Evan Niu, CFA, owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Apple.

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