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Enlarge ImageJames Martin/CNET
Applemania has been sweeping through China over the past year, with the larger displays on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus increasing the brand’s popularity in the People’s Republic. Now hospitals in the country are taking advantage, offering money for the just-unveiled iPhone 6S in exchange for regular sperm donations.
Several facilities in Shanghai are using Apple’s latest iPhone to boost the amount of donations they receive, according to regional-news site Shanghaiist. One such institution is Renji Hospital, which posted an online advertisement that, roughly translated, reads: “No need ‘to sell their kidneys,’ easily have 6S.”
The “sell their kidneys” line is a reference to recent reports that two Chinese men attempted to illegally hock their kidneys to pay for an iPhone 6S. It reflects the growing demand for Apple’s smartphones in China, which is the Cupertino, California-based company’s second-largest market despite the popularity of local budget brands like Xiaomi and Huawei.
Shanghaiist said Renji Hospital is offering $943 (6,000 yuan) for each 17ml (0.57 ounce) sample — more than enough to cover the $831 cost of a 16GB iPhone 6S and just under the $955 that the 64GB model will fetch on its September 25 release.
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Not just anyone is eligible to donate though, as the facility is after college educated men who are about 5-feet-4-inches tall (165 centimeters), are free of any genetic disorders and are deemed sufficiently fertile. Additionally, there’s a minimum of 48 days between sperm deposits.
Renji Hospital isn’t the only one though, with Hubei Human Sperm Bank offering $785 under the same premise, according to China Daily.
The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus were announced earlier this month at a special Apple event in San Francisco. Prior to offering details on the new devices, CEO Tim Cook said Apple’s market in China had grown 75 percent year-on-year.
