NEW YORK: Apple Inc. said it sold more than 2 million of its new iPhone 5 in China during the three days after its launch there on Friday, marking China’s best-selling iPhone rollout ever.
But the highly anticipated release in China, Apple’s second-biggest market, has not eased worries about stiffer competition in smartphones that are driving a slide in the share price of the world’s most valuable technology company.
Apple shares fell 3.8 percent on Friday to $ 509.79 after the iPhone 5’s China debut, while Citi Research downgraded Apple’s stock this week to “neutral” from “buy” and lowered Apple’s price target to $ 575 from $ 675, citing diminishing hype around the iPhone 5 and improving competition in smartphones.
Apple’s latest iPhone made its global debut with a launch in the US and 30 other countries in September, selling more than 5 million in its first three days on the market.
“Customer response to iPhone 5 in China has been incredible, setting a new record with the best first weekend sales ever in China,” Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a statement.
This is the first time Apple has announced China sales numbers for the iPhone.
Analysts say Apple’s longer-term outlook in the China market, however, may hinge on expanding its partners in that country to include China Mobile Ltd, the country’s top telecoms carrier.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said earlier that it began selling the flagship iPhone 5 smartphone at a big discount in thousands of its stores.
Wal-Mart said it is selling the 16 GB Apple iPhone 5 for $ 127, versus an original price of $ 189.97. The price is valid with a two-year contract from wireless carriers Verizon, Sprint and AT&T, the retailer added.
Wal-Mart said it is also selling the 16 GB iPhone 4S and the 16 GB iPad with Retina display and WiFi at discounts.
The offers will be available for 30 days in about 3,000 of Wal-Mart’s stores, which were not identified. They are not available online, according to the retailer.
Apple has focused on high-priced, premium gadgets for many years and has strictly enforced its prices with retailers and other distributors. However, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman said on Friday that the discounts were arranged with Apple.
“We worked together with them on this,” the spokeswoman, Sarah Spencer, said. “They are a great partner.”
Wal-Mart is pricing the iPad starting at $ 399, down from $ 499. Beginning Dec. 17 the retailer said it will throw in a $ 30 iTunes card.
Wal-Mart is selling the 16 GB iPhone 4S for $ 47, versus an original price of $ 89.97, it said.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
Wal-Mart’s cooperation with Apple is a contrast to its relationship with Amazon.com Inc, the world’s largest Internet retailer.
In September, Wal-Mart said it would stop selling Amazon’s Kindle eReaders and tablets, placing a bet that consumers would be more interested in Apple’s gadgets. This spring, Target Corp. stopped selling Kindle devices.
New record: Apple iPhone 5 starts strong in China
New record: Apple iPhone 5 starts strong in China
SAS digital twins transform manufacturing
SAS is poised to help transform critical processes in the manufacturing industry with enhanced digital twins that combine SAS’ powerful AI and advanced analytics with Unreal Engine from Epic Games.
With these digital twins, manufacturers like Georgia-Pacific can experiment with new strategies in simulated digital worlds, then take the best approaches and implement them in the real world.
One of the world’s leading manufacturers of paper and wood-based building products, GP is piloting these enhanced digital twins at its Savannah River Mill, which manufactures napkins, paper towels and toilet tissue.
GP is leveraging SAS’ technology to optimize its use of automated guided vehicles and other processes.
New digital health platform for pilgrims
Healthtrip, the world’s largest health travel platform, has launched Healinharam.com, a dedicated digital platform that connects international tourists, particularly pilgrims, to a trusted network of medical, wellness, and chronic care services across Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah.
The initiative directly supports Saudi Arabia’s broader ambition to establish itself as a global hub for medical and wellness tourism, in line with Vision 2030.
It also responds to increasing demand for high-quality care services during pilgrimage as the Kingdom continues to rapidly scale its healthcare infrastructure and wellness offerings.
Through Healinharam.com, pilgrims can now book health screenings, wellness therapies, and essential treatments such as dialysis, chemotherapy, and others, at leading Saudi hospitals.
Najm showcases traffic accident response system
Abdullah Al-Khalaf, acting CEO of Najm for Insurance Services, announced that the company has developed an integrated digital system for its traffic accident inspection service.
This development contributes to improving the efficiency and speed of handling and responding to traffic accidents, ensuring the safety of road users, reducing traffic congestion, and supporting environmental sustainability.
This announcement came during Najm’s participation in a workshop organized by Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, titled “Mechanisms for Dealing with Road Accident Offenders Under the Influence of Drugs.”
The event was held on May 28–29, with the participation of Arab and international experts specializing in security and safety.
Al-Khalaf emphasized Najm’s role in supporting the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 through the development of a smart, digital insurance sector.
XYZVerse warns against ongoing phishing scams targeting community
The XYZVerse team has alerted its community to an increase in phishing scams and impersonation attempts by malicious actors posing as official representatives. The warning has been posted on XYZVerse’s official X account. These scammers are distributing fraudulent links, attempting to deceive users into revealing sensitive wallet information or transferring funds under false pretenses.
The rise in scam activity comes as XYZVerse gains momentum within the Web3 and meme coin space. With a growing community, rising visibility, and ongoing project development, the platform has become a target for opportunistic attackers seeking to exploit its success.
To maintain transparency and security, XYZVerse has undergone independent security audits conducted by Pessimistic and SolidProof, two established firms in the Web3 security space. These audits are designed to assess and validate the integrity of the project’s smart contracts, helping to identify potential vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.
The project’s official Polygon-based token address is publicly available on the XYZVerse website, and XYZ tokens are only available for purchase through the official website: xyzverse.io.
Warning signs of a scam:
- Messages from fake “XYZVerse Support” or team members
- Suspicious links promising exclusive airdrops or claiming token sale updates
- Requests for wallet access, seed phrases, or private keys
Fake communication often mimics the tone and branding of the project’s official channels. These attempts have included messages from unaffiliated Telegram or social media accounts, links to counterfeit airdrops, and websites mimicking the xyzverse.io domain. No legitimate communication will request wallet credentials, seed phrases, or private access information.
XYZVerse is actively monitoring the situation in coordination with its security partners and will continue taking steps to minimize exposure to fraudulent activity. Updates will be shared through established and verified communication channels.
Lean strengthens its global footprint with scientific achievements, strategic partnerships
Lean Business Services — the Kingdom’s foremost developer of digital-health solutions and a Public Investment Fund portfolio company— continues to consolidate its leadership in the digital-health sector at both national and international levels.
At ISPOR 2025 in Montréal, Canada, the company’s research team presented three peer-reviewed studies grounded in advanced analytics and extensive national datasets before embarking on an official visit to South Korea to explore collaborations in health technology and research.
The first study introduced an integrated economic model that assesses the cost-effectiveness of Type 2 diabetes-prevention programs over a 10-year horizon, capturing both direct and indirect costs from the first-year diagnosis through long-term complications.
A second paper provided a comprehensive assessment to date of Saudi Arabia’s chronic disease burden, leveraging records from more than 33 million individuals and sophisticated statistical models to inform resource allocation and healthcare planning.
The third study delivered a five-year review of more than 2 million psychotropic prescriptions, pinpointing opportunities to refine prescribing practices, particularly for older adults, relative to other chronic-medication regimens.
To broaden its international collaboration, a Lean delegation traveled to South Korea, where it joined the Saudi–Korean Business & Investment Forum, met leading health-tech institutions, and examined best practices at Seoul National University Hospital.
Discussions focused on artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and population data analytics.
Engineer Mohannad Al-Rasheed, Lean’s chief executive officer, expressed pride in representing the Kingdom on these global stages.
“Lean is committed to building knowledge partnerships that elevate Saudi Arabia as an advanced hub for digital health,” he said. “Our active participation in specialized international gatherings reflects the maturity of the Saudi health sector and its ability to export both expertise and solutions.”
Driven by the conviction that data-powered innovation is key to a more efficient and inclusive healthcare future, Lean will continue to invest in research and cross-border collaboration, supporting Vision 2030’s goal of a cutting-edge, sustainable digital-health ecosystem for the Kingdom.
