For those who came in late, Apple traditionally runs its press conferences in the US by handpicking hacks who can be relied upon to sacrifice their credibility. These hacks are expected to jump up and down and cheer, and above all report positivity everything that happens at the event. If you write objectively about Apple you do not get invited and it is fair to say that an invitation to a US Apple press event is a sign that your journalism days are over and you have been suckered into PR.

Apple Inc has invited Chinese journalists to an event in Beijing on September 11, a company spokeswoman said, just hours after it is widely expected to unveil its newest iPhone models in the United States. The event will be held at the same time as the US event, so if the Chinese hacks fail to applaud, cheer or throw their knickers onto the stage, then the webcast can cross over to the US event.

It is not clear what is being announced but it might be that Apple’s long-awaited deal with China Mobile will get all the attention. Other analysts think that it will be some cheap Chinese product which will be announced. Either way Apple has to do something as it is getting its arse kicked in China where people don’t have the money to waste on an overpriced phone that will be out-of-date in a year and which you have no control over.