by Not everyone who waited in long lines outside Apple stores earlier this month was buying a new iPhone for themselves. Many of those buyers were plunking down cash and then hopping flights to China to resell the new devices. But after the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were finally cleared for sale in China a month after launching, it looks the party’s over for black market sellers—though the launch will likely send Apple’s revenue soaring.
It’s tough to tell how many of the 10 million-plus iPhones Apple sold in three days were churned for a profit in China, but buyers were willing to pay $1,300 or much, much more for the device rather than go without. Now that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has approved both iPhones, which go on sale Oct. 17, Chinese buyers who waited will pay significantly less—the iPhone 6 starts at 5288 yuan, or $860.57. Both phones will be available on all three of China’s major carriers after a deal Apple inked this year with China Mobile. Apple will start taking preorders Friday, Oct. 10.
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