Consumers purchasing iPads at an Apple store in Beijing on Sept 17, at the official Chinese launch of the popular tablet computer. [China Daily]

Apple Inc yesterday launched an online store on the Chinese mainland to sell iPhone, iPad and iPod products on the Internet in the latest move by the United States-based firm to penetrate the domestic market, following the opening of three new Apple Stores on the mainland this year.

Apple also launched a Chinese-language App Store to cater to domestic users of its devices to download localized applications as part of a move to tap into the world's biggest handset market.

Market observers said Apple couldn't have picked a better time to expand its sales channels into the cyber world because of the coming holiday season and huge demand for iPad and iPhone 4, which debuted in the domestic market in September.

Apple provides free delivery and some customized services for users of its new online store. Deliveries to customers outside the urban areas may, however, take one or two working days longer. Previously iPhone 4 buyers had to order the devices on Apple's website and pick them up at one of the four domestic Apple Stores in Beijing and Shanghai. The huge demand often made online pre-ordering for the iPhone 4 difficult to complete.

The online store says it accepts credit and debit cards as well as bank transfers and cash deposits for payment. Besides free shipping, the online store also offers customized services like free personalized engraving on iPod or iPad and signature gift wrapping.

The Chinese App Store, an online marketplace where customers can purchase software and game applications for their iPhones, iPads and iPod touch devices, requires users to have dual-currency credit cards in order to make purchases online. The App Store offers users access to the world's largest catalog of applications with more than 300,000 apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.