The devil's in the apps

While few can hope to better Apple's iPhone, content providers here are giving the competition a different complexion by focusing on its applications. Erik Nilsson and Zhang Zixuan report

A growing number of Chinese iPhone application (apps) developers have been vying for a slice of the Apple Store since the smart phone was officially released in the mainland last October.

For various reasons - mostly piracy and Chinese software purchasing habits -- the phone's arrival in China has led domestic apps developers to create more for overseas users. But that has left a lot of room for growth among those committed to China's market.