It was recently Chinese New Year, and to celebrate, thousands of people flocked to a well-known Buddhist temple in the country’s Guangdong province to make offerings.
One Apple super-fan apparently decided to eschew cash donations for something far more valuable, however: his new iPhone 6 Plus.
A shot of the man depositing the super-sized Apple smartphone in the temple’s donation box was featured in Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post. The saddest part? His generous offering was rejected.
According to the report, temple staff retrieved the handset and returned it to the man, saying that only cash could be donated, and that “monks had no use for an iPhone.” The man then took back the iPhone and gave several 100 yuan notes instead. Given that even a basic iPhone model costs around 5,300 yuan ($846) in the country, we can’t help but think the temple lost out.
Apparently he wasn’t the only person to try and donate a smartphone, either.
Returned iPhone notwithstanding, the story is another example of what a luxury item the iPhone is considered in China, which has become one of Apple’s most important markets in recent times. Apple took the top spot for smartphone sales in China last quarter for the first time in the company’s history: leapfrogging brands including Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi, thanks to the enormous success of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
Apple also recently beat out other luxury fashion brands like Gucci and Chanel to be named the favorite brand of China’s elite.
Just so long as you don’t ask monks, that is. Based on today’s news we assume they’re all Android users.
Source: SCMP
