Appy days for iPhone

They don't sell iPhones at Apple's flagship store in Beijing but this has not prevented thousands of programs being developed for Chinese users who have managed to get their hands on one.

These applications - "apps" in Apple jargon - are being rolled out at a frantic pace as local software developers jump on the iPhone bandwagon and churn out content for users both here and overseas.

The biggest local player is HandCN, part of Colorme (Beijing) Info Tech whose CEO, Shi Weixing, believes the smart phone is a revolutionary appliance that is transforming the way we learn, play and interact. Nor is he deterred by the fact the iPhone operates in a legal vacuum.