02/22, 2:29pm
Unlocked phones otherwise de facto in city
Hong Kong Telecommunications is turning to the legal system in a complaint with the city's telecoms regulator over Apple iPhone locking, according to the Wall Street Journal. Unlocked phones are commonplace in Hong Kong; in fact, the city was one of the first regions in the world to get unlocked iPhones as an option. The iPhone 5, though, is only compatible with two 4G networks in the area, excluding HKT -- which is owned by Hong Kong's biggest telecoms company, PCCW.
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01/23, 5:30pm
Company rearranges presentation of figures
Apple has posted a detailed breakdown (PDF) of its first-quarter results, meant to accompany the main results announcement. Notably the company has chosen to reorganize the way some figures are presented. A "greater China" segment has been split off from the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, for instance, to account for the important of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Chinese revenue is up 67 percent year-over-year to $6.83 billion.
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01/22, 10:20am
Event set for January 25
Apple has formally announced this year's Lunar New Year sale throughout much of southeast Asia. The event, also known as "Red Friday," is scheduled for January 25, and will include discounts on Macs, iPads, iPods, and accessories, as well as free shipping. An official gift guide has been published to go with the event, but as usual Apple hasn't revealed what the exact discounts will be. Those should only be published on the 25th itself.
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12/28, 1:37pm
Tablet out of stock in many stores
Apple is experiencing "insatiable demand" for the iPad mini in Hong Kong and mainland China, says Topeka Capital Markets' Brian White. The analyst explains that based on checks with stores this week, virtually every model of the Mini appears to be selling out in Hong Kong. Similar sellouts have been taking place at mainland Apple Stores.
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12/20, 6:01am
Rumor claims Nubia Z5 to reach China on December 21st
Images and specifications of a new low-resolution 5-inch phone-tablet from ZTE has been leaked. The budget-level phablet comes at the same time as rumors that ZTE's Nubia Z5 will be released in China on December 21st, as well as an official announcement of the company's first dual-mode Grand Era LTE smartphone in Hong Kong.
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12/10, 1:08pm
New Jersey outlet moves to much larger space
Apple is set to open four new retail stores this Saturday, ifoAppleStore remarks. Two of these are in China, including the MixC outlet in Chengdu, and the Causeway Bay location in Hong Kong. Australia is getting a store in Fountain Gate in Narre Warren (outside Melbourne), while Sweden's second-ever store will be based in the Emporia in Malmö.
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10/08, 1:34pm
Unicom allegedly preparing for December iPhone 5 launch
Shops in Hong Kong are still sold out of the iPhone 5, according to Topeka Capital Markets' Brian White. The analyst is currently touring Asia, and says that in Hong Kong all of the stores he visited were out of the new iPhone. "At Apple's retail store, the iPhone 5 can be ordered online and a lottery process determines who is eligible for pickup at the store the next day," he comments in a new investor memo. "Based on our conversations, you might have a better shot at winning the lottery than getting the iPhone 5 the next day."
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09/19, 12:39am
Full completion in Apple's key market expected by 2015
According to reports, Apple's next giant data center will be constructed in Hong Kong, China. Apple has recently selected a location in the New Territories area of Hong Kong. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2013, and it should take over a year for operations to commence at the new center. Full operation is planned by 2015. Apple is said to be selecting bids from local and international construction companies for the buildout of the facility.
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08/28, 4:38pm
More openings, re-openings coming this weekend
Apple will be offering one new store opening and one re-opening this weekend, with a store opening its doors for the first time in Cologne, Germany on Saturday September 1 and the Bellevue, Washington store hosting a grand re-opening party. In addition, construction is underway on a second Apple retail store for Hong Kong and a larger refurbishment for the store in New York's Walt Whitman mall. There's also information on stores in Montreal, Canada, and a change in Sweden.
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07/19, 2:43pm
Separate from iTunes Match growth
(Updated with additional countries) Movie support has been added to iTunes in the Cloud in three more regions. The UK, Canada, and Columbia now have access to the feature, which ensures that movies bought on one device are automatically available for download elsewhere. Previously the countries could only use the option for music, apps, books, and music videos.
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07/05, 5:29pm
Hong Kong iTunes Store launch marred by bad translations
Apple has pulled a Russian-language malware app from the App Store, according to The Loop. The app, Find and Call, was identified as a trojan on Thursday by security firm Kaspersky. Users who downloaded the title would have their address books surreptitiously uploaded to a remote server, which would then spam text messages purported to be from the user to contacts including a link to download the app. An Android version of the app was also available at one point, but has gone missing from Google Play.
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06/27, 12:35pm
Set-top shows in fraction of new Asian iTunes regions
In tandem with an expansion of the iTunes Store, Apple is now selling the Apple TV in at least four more regions, checks show. These include Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. Three of the new iTunes regions -- Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines -- don't have the set-top listed on their local Apple online stores.
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06/27, 9:21am
Includes music, movies, iCloud services
Apple has announced that the iTunes Store is now available in 12 new regions in Asia. These include Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, as well as Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Local visitors can now buy music from iTunes -- including local and international artists -- and either rent or buy movies, including titles from major studios like Fox, Paramount, Sony, Disney, and Warner Brothers.
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06/26, 5:25pm
Launch could be announced Wednesday
Apple is on the verge of announcing iTunes music, movies, and TV shows for several important Asian regions, sources say. An event is allegedly planned for tomorrow in Hong Kong; it may play host to musician Jason Mraz, as well as representatives from a number of Asian music labels. The labels are said to have been in talks with Apple as of last week, which may still be ongoing. New launch regions are believed to include Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
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03/13, 3:40pm
Company works to deter scalpers, lineups
Apple is sticking to a recent reservation system for the Hong Kong launch of the new iPad. According to Apple's website, shoppers will be able to register starting the morning of the 15th local time, and pick up an iPad the next day at the IFC Mall Apple Store. Signs spotted by Engadget warn people not to line up, informing them that "Apple will not serve on a first come first serve basis for new ipad [sic]."
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03/07, 1:50pm
Upgraded with Retina Display, quad-core A5X chip
Apple today announced the third-generation iPad at an event in San Francisco. The device's main feature is a 2048x1536 Retina Display, twice the resolution of the iPad 2, rated at 264 pixels per inch; existing apps will be upscaled automatically. Color saturation is said to be 44 percent higher. The tablet also makes the switch to a new dual-core but quad graphics processor, the A5X, which Apple says is built with the Retina Display in mind. Interface-wise the tablet has been improved with features like voice dictation.
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01/30, 11:20am
Customers must provide full ID
Apple Hong Kong is taking stricter measures in a bid to cope with iPhone scalpers. A page on the company's online store now presents a lottery system for iPhone buyers, preventing them from using bots to make online reservations as soon as new phones are available. The iPhone 4 and 4S are no longer available to walk-in buyers at the company's Hong Kong retail store.
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01/05, 12:40pm
Parallels Black Friday offerings in US
As promised, Apple has launched special Lunar New Year online sales in a handful of countries. These are notably similar to the company's Black Friday deals in the US, which were modest in scope. At the Hong Kong Apple Store, for instance, Apple is offering about 8 percent off Wi-Fi iPads, or 6 to 7 percent off 3G models.
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01/05, 12:00pm
Claims copying Jobs' likeness may be criminal
Apple is threatening to sue Hong Kong company InIcons over its Steve Jobs figure, says UK newspaper The Telegraph. The product is set to go on sale next month for $100, and copy many details of Jobs' signature look, from facial features down to his sneakers. Apple, though, is reportedly claiming in a letter to InIcons that it has the rights to Jobs' likeness, along with more standard likenesses such as logos, products, and names.
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01/03, 9:20am
Limited to handful of countries
Apple is running a special Lunar New Year promotion on Friday, January 6th, the company has announced. In China and Hong Kong, as well as Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines, people will be able to visit local Apple online stores for rare first-party discounts. As with the company's Black Friday sale, though, no prices are being advertised ahead of time.
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11/11, 2:40pm
Mandarin said coming to Siri by March
The iPhone 4S sold out in Hong Kong even faster than previously thought, a memo from Ticonderoga Securities' Brian White indicates. The analyst claims that both the city's Apple Store and all authorized resellers sold out within a space of three hours; Apple's local online store states that there is "no supply" of the phone left. Earlier accounts had just the Apple Store selling out by lunchtime.
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11/11, 9:45am
Main purchases headed to mainland China
The Hong Kong Apple Store sold out of iPhone 4S stock within a matter of hours today, according to reports. The device went on sale at 7AM local time, but by lunchtime is said to have been unavailable from Apple directly. Approximately 1,250 people are claimed to have waited in an official line, while over 2,000 gathered outside of it. Although some carrier stores may still have stock, the Apple Store was possibly the surest way of getting a 4S, since pre-orders sold out in 10 minutes.
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11/10, 10:05am
Aggressive scalpers blamed
An iPhone 4S lineup at the Hong Kong Apple Store, measuring in the hundreds, was broken up by police on Wednesday night, reports say. Even though the phone only officially launches in Hong Kong on Friday, 4S pre-orders sold out in 10 minutes; this may be why a store lineup first started forming around noon on Tuesday. Police were called in after a group of scalpers allegedly started threatening customers and trying to cut in line.
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11/07, 11:10am
Lack of local Siri support may not be issue
Pre-orders for the Hong Kong version of the iPhone 4S sold out in a space of 10 minutes, says Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White. The option became available this weekend, but was reportedly instantly swamped with buyers. Some iPhones should still be available for this Friday's launch, but only after waiting in line at a first- or third-party outlet.
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10/07, 2:15pm
Actually dates back to Jobs' resignation
A graphic created by a 19-year-old student at Hong Kong's Polytechnic University School of Design, Jonathan Mak, is enjoying massive popularity, Reuters reports. The image is a take on the standard Apple corporate logo, but with the "bite" replaced by a silhouette of Steve Jobs' head. Reuters notes that following Jobs' death, the graphic has become so popular online that caps and t-shirts with it are being sold an eBay, and Mak himself has received a job offer.
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09/23, 9:50am
Largest location in China to date
Apple has today formally launched its Nanjing East store in Shanghai, China. The outlet is Apple's largest in China to date. One report notes that it may serve up to 40,000 people per day, and that some 300 store workers were present for the opening, with about 500 visitors lined up to become the first official customers. Reuters adds that some people flew in from nearby cities.
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09/19, 12:50pm
New Vancouver outlet coming
One or more thieves broke into the Renaissance at Colony Park Apple Store in Ridgeland, Mississippi on Monday morning, reports say. The incident occurred sometime around 4:30AM, and resulted in at least 20 computers being stolen. Local police say that a car was spotted traveling at high speed on the roundabout on Highland Colony Parkway and Old Agency Road at 4AM, which prompted them to patrol nearby businesses. The theft was called in to station roughly 20 to 30 minutes later.
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08/26, 11:40am
May have triggered ripple effect for iPhone, iPad
The MacBook Air has been selling extremely well in Hong Kong since its debut there this week, says Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White. The computer is said to have generated long lineups and stock-outs, and possibly even created a halo effect for other Apple products. Stores in the city are said to have been sold out of the iPhone 4, and some models of the iPad 2 as well.
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08/08, 12:50pm
Likely small corner of current smuggling operation
Customs officers in Hong Kong and mainland China have stopped an elaborate and unusual smuggling operation, reports say. To transport iPads and iPhones into the mainland, a pulley cable was strung over a river from a rural home in northern Hong Kong to a highrise in the city of Shenzhen. The cable was fired over the water using a crossbow, and the Apple hardware pulled into Shenzhen at night using nylon bags. A one-way trip for a bag is said to have taken roughly two minutes.
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07/12, 10:00am
Hong Kong outlet could bring high traffic, costs
Apple is continuing its recent efforts to expand existing stores with one of its shops in Orlando, Florida, sources say. In the city's Mall of Millenia complex, Apple currently occupies a small ground-floor space which is said to be constantly flooded with visitors. When a lease on a larger second-floor space occupied by Z Gallerie came up for renewal earlier this year, the sources claim that Apple jumped on the prospect and ultimately outbid Z Gallerie.
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06/24, 5:55pm
First of two locations set for the sprawling city
Apple is reportedly set to open its first retail location in Hong Kong as early as this fall, unnamed sources have told M.I.C.. The company is said to be aiming its grand opening for early September, on the heels of an August debut for a separate location in Shanghai. The Hong Kong establishment reportedly fills a 15,000-square-foot space in the International Finance Center mall on Hong Kong Island.
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05/13, 10:55am
Apple Stores still scarce in region
One of Apple's key Asian retail partners, Foxlink, is planning to double the number of Apple-exclusive stores it operates in the region. The chain currently has about 50 stores, but says it will expand to 100 locations by the end of the year. Existing outlets are spread throughout China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea.
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04/29, 11:40am
Japanese debut previously postponed after quake
Asian launches of the iPad 2 were met with long lines on Thursday, reports say. The most significant of these may be in Japan, which was first slated to get the tablet on March 25th, but had the introduction delayed because of the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit the north on March 11th. By the time Apple Japan's flagship Ginza store opened at 9AM on Thursday, the iPad 2 lineup was reportedly three blocks long.
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04/28, 5:15pm
Color option only on market for one day
The white iPhone 4 has already sold out in the Chinese cities of Beijing and Hong Kong, reports say. The Beijing information comes from Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White, who cites checks with Asian industry sources. ElegentTech claims that the phone sold out even faster in Hong Kong, going out of stock in the space of an hour thanks to lineups which formed at midnight the previous day.
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04/27, 12:55pm
Interest may be connected to gray market
Lineups have formed for the white iPhone 4 in Hong Kong, accounts say. The device is already on the verge of going on sale in the city, owing to time differences. Dozens of people can be seen waiting on the streets in a circulating video.
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04/20, 6:25pm
Regions yet to be identified
Apple will launch the iPad 2 in 13 more countries next week, according to COO Tim Cook. The executive made the statement during the company's fiscal Q2 results call, addressing the "mother of all backlogs" the tablet has been experiencing. More countries will get the device throughout the third quarter, says Cook.
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04/11, 9:35am
Chinese iPad 2 coming soon?
Sales of the iPhone 4 are finally stabilizing on Apple's Hong Kong online store, checks show. The device is now consistently available, shipping in about 5 to 7 days regardless of the capacity chosen. Previously the phone would only briefly appear for sale online before being pulled again, likely due to intense demand. Hong Kong iPhones are often a target for the gray market.
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03/15, 11:00am
Half of Fifth Avenue stock sold to exporters?
Many of the iPad 2s sold since Friday's launch have been bought by gray-market dealers planning to resell overseas, Fortune reports. Quantities could be significant, as staff at the Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York City, for instance, estimate that as many as half of the iPads sold there on Friday were bought for foreign markets. Total Friday sales at Fifth Avenue are thought to have been about 7,200 units.
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01/12, 12:15pm
Includes more German, Italian, American shops
A bevy of new Apple Stores are in the works for 2011, a report says. At least several of these are forecast to open in Italy by the middle of the year, including one in Bologna, a previously unexpected outlet in Florence, and a second Milan location. Possible addresses for the Milan and Florence stores remain unknown.
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11/24, 11:10am
Blame put partly on Apple
Carriers serving Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland are having a difficult time dealing with the country's iPhone 4 demand, a report suggests. China Unicom is said to be attributing the problem to Apple, noting that it has not kept up with orders. Unicom is believed to have ordered about 600,000 iPhone 4s, but there is no indication of how many have actually been delivered.
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07/26, 10:50am
Prominent launches include Australia, Canada
Apple has confirmed plans to release the iPhone 4 in 17 more regions on Friday. In North America, Canada will finally get the device; the bulk of additional launches are in Europe, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Elsewhere, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore will begin sales.
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07/23, 3:15pm
Local sales a boost to gray market
Hong Kong is and should only increase in importance as a hub for gray-market iPads, reports from Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal note. The iPad is officially going on sale in nine new regions today; aside from Hong Kong, these include Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore. Some Hong Kong residents have been able to get the iPad since the US launch, however, through vendors selling tablets originally bought in American stores.
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07/13, 3:35pm
May demand very rapid pace of construction
Apple will be opening a large number of Chinese retail stores in the near future, according to an official spokeswoman. Jill Tan says the company has plans to open at least 25 additional shops around the country, including one or more in the Hong Kong area. The 25 scheduled outlets are due to be completed by the end of 2011.
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07/07, 10:05pm
All aircraft to be outfitted by 2012
A Hong Kong-based airline, Cathay Pacific Airways, has announced plans to outfit its fleet with technology to support in-flight calling, Wi-Fi, and live TV. The Wi-Fi service, based on Panasonic Avionics technology, is claimed to provide broadband at speeds of up to 50 Mbps.
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06/04, 11:10am
Says Apple complicit in poor working conditions
Another Foxconn worker has died under unusual circumstances, but this time not from suicide, says a Hong Kong-based activist group. Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) says that on May 27th, a 27-year-old engineer named Yan Li collapsed and died from exhaustion. He had been working for 34 hours straight, the group alleges, and his wife claims that prior to that point, Yan had been working the night shift for a month, always putting in overtime.
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05/07, 8:55am
Second wave of countries due in July
Clearing up a formerly ambiguous timetable, Apple has announced that the international launch of the iPad is now set for May 28th. Nine regions will get the tablet initially: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. A second wave is only expected in July, including Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore.
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05/04, 12:20pm
Apple ignoring Wintek issues?
Apple is still ignoring issues with a Suzhou, China factory involved in producing iPhones, claims a Hong Kong activist group, Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM). While a strike at Wintek subsidiary United Win is said to have got the factory workers an expected bonus, both Apple and Wintek are argued to be sidestepping several other concerns, most notably hexane poisoning. In this sense Apple is disregarding its own code of conduct for suppliers, SACOM charges.
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12/29, 5:20pm
Device previously sold unlocked
(Updated with correction) Two carriers have announced direct sales of the iPhone 3G and 3GS in Hong Kong, according to reports. SmarTone-Vodafone has not revealed any prices or a release date, but is now registering interest through a form on its website. The other carrier, 3, has likewise not published a launch date, but has posted prices.
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07/14, 9:25am
iPhone 3GS in Hong Kong
Unlocked versions of the iPhone 3GS are now on sale from Apple's Hong Kong online store. In contrast with many regions, including a number with multiple iPhone carriers, Hong Kong only requires that shoppers have the proper SIM card inserted to use a 3GS with any GSM network. 16GB phones are being sold online for $5,388 HK ($692 US), while 32GB models cost $6,288 HK ($808 US).
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10/17, 1:55pm
Joybook Lite U101 ships
BenQ's JoyBook Lite U101 -- only recently revealed -- is now on sale in Hong Kong, reports say. The 10.2-inch netbook was originally expected to ship in November, following the release of an 8.9-inch system. English-language slides from BenQ have meanwhile disclosed some more features, such as the use of a 10.1-inch 16:9 LCD display, rather than one in the 4:3 or 16:10 formats more common to both notebooks and netbooks. The screen is also LED backlit, which provides uniform color and better power efficiency.
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