Woman in China used 20 iPhones from 20 'boyfriends' to buy a house
By trading in 20 iPhone 7's, a woman in China was able to chalk up enough money to make a down payment on her first home. The thing is, those iPhones was a gift -- each from a different "boyfriend."
A person who went by the name Proud Qiaoba on a Chinese forum called Tian Ya Yi Du posted about a co-worker and her experience selling 20 iPhone 7's, given to her by each of her 20 boyfriends, according to the BBC. The story went viral and Chinese media has since nicknamed her "Xiaoli," which sometimes means "sharp, clever; profit."
The story was soon trending all over China. Word traveled across social media with a hashtag that can be loosely translated to "20 mobiles for a house."
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Apple and iPhone sales have slowed in China and accelerated in other countries, but the devices still hold considerable value. And because of varying trade agreements, the actual retail price of the iPhone can vary wildly from country to country. Right now, China and India are among the most expensive places to purchase an iPhone 7.
Because of that price disparity and the demand for the latest iPhone, Xiaoli was able to sell all 20 phones to a phone-recycling site in for 115,010 yuan -- or 5,570 yuan each. In US dollars, that comes in at around $850 per iPhone and $17,000 total.
The report said Xiaoli declined a request to speak with reporters, but the site that purchased the phones confirmed the transaction. So far no word from the boyfriends.
One thing is for sure: Her life has obviously been drastically changed by this news in more ways than one.
Alex Laird is one of Mashable's Tech Editorial Interns. She is a firm believer that headlines should be as strong as your coffee and humor as dark as your chocolate. In addition to working at Mashable, she is a full-time student and coxswain on the rowing team. #TEAMTECH
