Apple's Year of the Dragon Phone Case Criticized for Mistaking Python for Dragon - In China, Five Claws Represent Dragon While Four Claws Represent Python
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Recently, Apple launched a "Year of the Dragon Special Edition" phone case priced at 498 yuan.
According to Farmer Channel reports, netizens pointed out: In traditional Chinese culture, 'five claws represent a dragon while four claws represent a python,' essentially mistaking a python for a dragon.
However, some voices argue that dragons in traditional Chinese culture did not always have five claws; they evolved from three claws to four claws and eventually to five claws.
It is worth noting that this phone case is a product sold on Apple Store, not directly by Apple.
According to Apple's official website, this phone case was specially customized to celebrate the Chinese Lunar Year of the Dragon and is compatible with iPhones and iPads. It was personally designed and illustrated by the renowned artist "Yulong Lli."
Number of claws: In traditional culture, dragons are generally considered five-toed creatures, while pythons are four-toed. This is easily observable in ancient clothing. For instance, the emperor's dragon robe was embroidered with five-clawed dragons, while officials' python robes featured four-clawed pythons.
Even disregarding cultural differences, Apple's dragon-patterned phone case isn't worth its price tag. A plastic case selling for 498 yuan is exorbitant when ordinary plastic cases on the market cost just a few yuan, and even those with special designs are priced at around ten to twenty yuan.
Apple's only selling point is its "eco-friendly" claim, stating that 50% of the case is made from recycled materials (essentially trash) and offering a lifetime warranty, along with compatibility with Apple's magnetic chargers and stands.
In reality, Apple's accessories have always been notoriously overpriced. In recent years, Apple has sold a headphone lanyard for 98 yuan, a screen polishing cloth for 145 yuan, a Thunderbolt cable for 949 yuan, and even a SIM card ejector for 26 yuan.
This phenomenon stems from Apple's brand premium. With the same production costs, Apple's brand image allows them to multiply prices several times over. Moreover, Apple's fanbase is willing to pay these inflated prices, making such exorbitant accessories commonplace.