12 September 2014 Last updated at 06:51 BST
But the contrast could not be more different in India where consumers are being bombarded with low-priced smart devices.
These cheaper handsets are set to open up new online opportunities, as millions of people take to the internet for the first time.  From Delhi, David Reid reports.
Watch more reports on Asia Business Report's website.
Smartphones were one of the big themes of the week  - and the release of Apple's latest iPhone could well shake things up at the top end of the market.