蘋(píng)果公司(Apple)在中國(guó)面臨激烈的市場(chǎng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng),不過(guò),它計(jì)劃在中國(guó)開(kāi)設(shè)一個(gè)新的研發(fā)中心,集中所有的研發(fā)工程師。
測(cè)試中可能遇到的詞匯和知識(shí):
bolster 支持;支撐['b??lst?]
tough 艱苦的,困難的[t?f]
crackdown 鎮(zhèn)壓['kr?kda?n]
fiscal year 財(cái)務(wù)年度
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Apple to open first R&D centre in China(662words)
By Tim Bradshaw in San Francisco
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Apple plans to open its first research and development centre in China later this year, the latest in a series of steps to bolster its presence in a vital region as sales slow down.
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, revealed the plans to increase investment in local R&D during a meeting this week with Zhang Gaoli, China’s vice premier.
The move comes after Apple reported that revenues fell one-third in the latest quarter in Greater China, where Apple faces growing competition from local smartphone makers such as Huawei and Oppo as well as tougher economic conditions.
The new R&D centre will be made up of both new and existing staff. Apple already has 9,000 staff in China, roughly half of whom work in its 42 retail stores in the country. Over the past four years Apple has doubled the number of corporate offices in China to 45.
“We look forward to expanding our operations in China with a new research and development centre as we continue to grow our talented team here,” Apple said, without specifying the scale of staffing or financial investment in the effort.
“The centre will open later this year, bringing together our engineering and operations teams in China as we develop advanced technologies and services for our products, both for our customers in China and around the world,” Apple added.
Even as revenues slide, Apple is increasing its investment in future products and international expansion. Last month, the US tech group revealed a 26 per cent increase in its quarterly R&D spending to $2.6bn, a record 6 per cent of revenues. Its annual R&D spending is now approaching $10bn.
In May, Apple invested $1bn in Didi Chuxing, a Chinese car-hailing service — an unusual move for a company that has typically favoured much smaller deals. As well as providing a strategic partnership as a secretive Apple team works on developing its own car, the investment was widely seen as an attempt to build goodwill with the Chinese government after a series of setbacks in the region.
Earlier this year, Apple’s iTunes movies and iBooks services were blocked in China as part of a wider crackdown on foreign content. Apple also lost a patent case in Beijing that threatened to block sales of the iPhone 6.
“The new centre is also aimed at strengthening relationships with local partners and universities as we work to support talent development across the country,” Apple said.
In last month’s earnings call Mr Cook stressed the “l(fā)ong-term opportunity” in China, where sales grew 55 per cent to $40bn during the first three quarters of Apple’s fiscal year. Revenues from its books and movies stores in China were “l(fā)ess than $1m” before they were blocked, he added.
請(qǐng)根據(jù)你所讀到的文章內(nèi)容,完成以下自測(cè)題目:
1. Which one is not right about Apple?
A. open its first R&D centre in China
B. have 800 staff in China
C. revenues fell one-third in the latest quarter
D. compete with Huawei and Oppo
2. How many corporate offices in China that Apple has?
A. 26
B. 42
C. 45
D. 90
3. When will the R&D centre open in China?
A. open middle of this year
B. open in 2017
C. open later this year
D. open beginning of 2018
4. How much does Apple invest in Didi Chuxing?
A. $1bn
B. $10bn
C. $2.6bn
D. $40bn
[1] 答案 B. have 800 staff in China
解釋:蘋(píng)果在中國(guó)有著9000名員工。
[2] 答案 B. 42
解釋:蘋(píng)果在中國(guó)的辦事處有42個(gè)。
[3] 答案 C. open later this year
解釋:蘋(píng)果在中國(guó)的第一家研發(fā)中心預(yù)計(jì)在2016后半年開(kāi)放。
[4] 答案 A. $1bn
解釋:蘋(píng)果為滴滴出行投資了十億。