本文共6,024字，建议阅读40分钟。
导 读
4月下旬，微信发表了一则官方声明：受苹果公司新规定影响，2017年4月19日17:00起，iOS版微信公众平台赞赏功能将被关闭，安卓等其他版本微信赞赏功能不受影响。
这俨然是另一出3Q大战的节奏。如今，参战双方换成了苹果与腾讯，狭路相逢，到底谁能笑到最后？且看本期《经济学人》精读。
精 读
App wars [1]
Tencent takes on Apple in China
WeChat launches “mini-programmes”; Apple bans tipping
参考译文
App大战：腾讯在中国与苹果角力
微信推出“小程序”；苹果禁止微信打赏
解 析
[1] 怎么理解文章标题和导语？
标题“App wars”不难理解，全文都是在围绕腾讯（主要是微信）与苹果的应用软件大战。（take on = compete against，与……较量。）
导语则进一步指出，两方是如何较量的——微信推小程序，苹果禁止打赏。
注：标题和导语是文章内容的浓缩，正文会紧密围绕这些展开。
--1--
IN MOST of the world, the success of Apple’s “walled garden” of proprietary software has two elements. First, its attractive services: users tend to be addicted to its iTunes music shop and iBooks store. Second, the complexities involved in switching from an iPhone to another device without losing music files or having to re-download apps.
参考译文
在全球大部分地区，苹果专利软件这座“围墙花园”之所以成功取决于两大因素。首先，它提供了诱人的服务——iTunes音乐商店和iBooks书店往往令用户流连忘返。其次，在不丢失音乐文件或无须重新下载软件的情况下，要想把苹果手机换成另一台设备会很复杂。
解 析
[2] 首段第一句运用了何种修辞？
暗喻 (metaphor)，即把“苹果专利软件”比作“有墙的花园”。
[3] 如何理解该段的论证结构？
该段采用因果论证。
two elements → First, ... → Second, ...
果：苹果应用软件大获成功
因：①服务诱人；②换机复杂。
[4] service为何要加-s？
service在文中可数，可理解为“为顾客提供的某种服务”，英英释义为：
service: a particular type of help or work that is provided by a business to customers, but not one that involves producing goods [2]
即论服务类别，service可加-s。
--2--
Neither factor works as well in China. There, many of Apple’s services have not taken off. The American giant missed the boat on music sales in the country, reckons Matthew Brennan of China Channel, a technology consultancy. Its sales of books are blocked by the government.
参考译文
但在中国，这两个因素都不怎么奏效，苹果的许多服务也没有大获成功。来自技术咨询公司——中国频道 (China Channel) 的马修·布伦南 (Matthew Brennan) 认为，这家美国巨头在中国错失了热销音乐的良机。苹果的图书销售也遭到了中国政府的阻挠。
解 析
[5] 本段与上一段有何关联？
上段是褒，本段是贬，此为“欲抑先扬”，这种前后反差可以调动读者阅读下文的兴趣。
[6] as well在文中如何理解？
as well这个词组不能孤立地理解为“也”，而要结合第一段内容。
首段讲的是世界大多数地区，第二段是从中国出发，所以是比较关系，因此这是个省略后的比较句型，补全就是：
Neither factor works as well in China (as they do in most of the world) .
[7] 请说明下句倒装的原因：The American giant missed the boat on music sales in the country, reckons Matthew Brennan of China Channel, a technology consultancy.
答：这是出于句子平衡的考虑。
若还原成正常语序，请看：
Matthew Brennan of China Channel, a technology consultancy, reckons (that) the American giant missed the boat on music sales in the country.
前半句光主语就有8个词，十分拖沓，严重影响了句意的表达。
主语的定语 (China Channel) 有一同位语，但还原后，该同位语容易错当成是主语 (Matthew Brennan) 的同位语。
因此，必须把谓语动词提前，这样才能避免句子“头重脚轻”，出现歧义。
--3--
In addition, few would disagree that its messaging service is a flop and that Apple Pay, its mobile-payment offering, is irrelevant—its market share on the mainland is only 1%. A “genius” employee at an Apple store in Shanghai admits sheepishly that “iCloud doesn’t work very well in China.”
参考译文
此外，苹果通讯服务惨败，其手机支付产品苹果支付 (Apple Pay) 无关紧要——仅占中国内地1%的市场份额，对此很少有人会提出异议。上海某苹果零售店一“天才”员工尴尬承认，“iCloud在中国并不是非常成功。”
解 析
[8] flop为何义
flop: (informal) a total failure [3]
flop即“彻底失败”或“惨败”。
[9] offering是否等同于product？
此词虽作“产品”讲，但与product稍有差别。
offering: a thing produced or manufactured for entertainment or sale [4]
注意，该词有限定条件——“for entertainment or sale” (供娱乐或出售) 。
[10] “genius”有何含义？
genius加上双引号，就暗示那名员工并不是真正的天才。
其实，苹果公司在Apple Store零售店有一个“天才吧”(Genius Bar)（如下图） ，旨在为用户提供硬件维修服务和一系列技术支持选项。
据此推断，该员工可能是“天才吧”的“天才”。
[11] sheepishly跟sheep有关吗？
sheepishly (adv.) 是sheepish (adj.) 的派生词，而sheepish系sheep派生。请看：
sheepish:
- resembling a sheep in meekness, stupidity, or timidity
- affected by or showing embarrassment caused by consciousness of a fault [5]
其中，义项一（“像绵羊一样温顺、愚蠢或胆怯”）说明了该词的起源。类似的还有childish, girlish等。
但符合本文语境的是义项二“（发觉错误后）感到尴尬的”。
--4--
And switching is a doddle in China, observes Ben Thompson of Stratechery, an industry newsletter. Nearly everyone uses WeChat, an app made by Tencent, one of China’s three big internet giants, for everything from social media to payments. Through WeChat it is easy to transfer photos, messages, contacts and payments history maintained on that app from one device to another.
参考译文
而且，行业简报Stratechery的作者和创始人本·汤普森 (Ben Thompson) 注意到换机在中国轻而易举。几乎每个中国人都用微信——腾讯（中国三大互联网巨头之一）所开发的一款应用软件——完成社交到支付等各项事务。通过微信，你可以很轻松地把保存在该软件上的照片、信息、联系人和支付历史从一台设备转移到另一台上。
解 析
[12] “某事轻而易举”用英文怎么说？
- ... is a doddle.
doddle: Brit. informal a very easy task [6]
举一反三，还有以下表达：
- ... is a piece of cake.
- ... is a cinch.
- ... is a breeze.
[13] 如何简要描述“腾讯”与“微信”？
请看原文：
Nearly everyone uses WeChat, an app made by Tencent, one of China’s three big internet giants, for everything from social media to payments.
- 腾讯：Tencent, one of China’s three big internet giants
- 微信：WeChat, an app (that) nearly everyone uses for everything from social media to payments
[14] 本段与前几段有何关联？
本段揭秘了苹果换机难题（第一段）在中国迎刃而解（第二段）的原因，起到了承接上文（主要是第二段）的作用。
--5--
No wonder that Apple’s retention rate among iPhone users, which tops 80% in America and Britain, is only 50% in China. That does not bode well for a key market. Apple’s revenues in greater China have nearly doubled since 2013, to $48.5bn in 2016, thanks in part to its mainland app store. App Annie, a research firm, reckons it is the world’s biggest Apple app store, as measured by revenue. But Apple’s results for the first quarter of the year showed total sales falling by some 14% in greater China compared with a year ago, the fifth consecutive quarter of decline. Canalys, a market-research firm, estimates that shipments of iPhones on the mainland plunged by a quarter in the first quarter.
参考译文
难怪苹果在英美能留住超过80%的iPhone用户，而在中国，它能留住的用户却仅有50%。这对于一块重要市场并不是个好兆头。2016年，苹果大中华区收入达到约485亿美元，与2013年相比几乎翻了一番，这在某种程度上归功于中国内地的苹果应用商店。研究公司App Annie称，以营收来衡量，该商店是全球最大的苹果应用商店，但苹果公司今年第一季度的业绩显示，其大中华区总销售额同比降低了14%左右，连续五个季度下滑。据市场调研公司Canalys估计，一季度中国内地iPhone出货量骤降了四分之一。
解 析
[15] retention rate为何义？
维基百科 (Wikipedia) 是这样解释的：
"Retention rate is the ratio of the number of retained customers to the number at risk". In contractual situations, it makes sense to talk about the number of customers currently under contract and the percentage retained when the contract period runs out." [7]
因此，retention rate可理解为“客户留存比率（留存的客户数量与有潜在流失风险的客户数量的比率）”。与“客户留存率”相对的是“客户流失率”(churn rate，有时也作attrition rate) 。
[16] 如何理解 (not) bode well这个词组？
bode well / ill:
to be a sign that something good bad will happen [8]
翻译过来，bode well / ill，即“……是吉兆或凶兆”。
[17] app store到底是“苹果应用商店” (App Store)，还是“苹果零售店” (Apple Store)？
无语境，无意义。
Apple’s revenues in greater China have nearly doubled since 2013, to $48.5bn in 2016, thanks in part to its mainland app store. App Annie, a research firm, reckons it is the world’s biggest Apple app store, as measured by revenue.
从原文来看，“its mainland app store”中的“app store”是单数，中国内地有无数家苹果零售店，但应用商店只有一家，那就是App Store。
显然，原文中的“app store”就是App Store（苹果应用商店），而不是Apple Store（苹果零售店）。
[18] “the year”与“a year ago”分别是哪一年？
That does not bode well for a key market. Apple’s revenues in greater China have nearly doubled since 2013, to $48.5bn in 2016, thanks in part to its mainland app store. App Annie, a research firm, reckons it is the world’s biggest Apple app store, as measured by revenue. But Apple’s results for the first quarter of the year showed total sales falling by some 14% in greater China compared with a year ago, the fifth consecutive quarter of decline.
语法上，定冠词the具有指代作用，前文肯定有线索。然后我们发现，离它最近的年份是2016年，所以，the year = 2016，a year ago = 2015，对吗？
不对！！
我们要注意，本文是今年五月中下旬发表的，所提到的第一季度 (the first quarter) 也已是过去时间，那么究竟有没有可能是2017年呢？
请看苹果今年一季度的财报（如下图）：
图中文字正好呼应原文14%的降幅和连续五个季度下滑的趋势。因此，我们可以确定，the year = 2017，a year ago = 2016。
--6--
Hostilities have now broken out with Tencent. The two had co-existed happily: since richer Chinese prefer iPhones to Android phones, these devices are where WeChat made much of its money. But earlier this year, WeChat launched “mini-programmes,” a form of lightweight app that operates independently of Apple’s app store and robs it of revenues.
参考译文
苹果现已与腾讯爆发敌对行为。之前，两家公司曾和谐共存。正是因为中国有钱人更喜欢用iPhone而非安卓手机，微信才通过这些苹果设备挣了很多钱。但今年初，微信推出了“小程序”，这种轻量型应用软件的运营不受苹果应用商店控制，还掠夺了其公司收入。
解 析
[19] “these devices”到底是指哪些设备？
The two had co-existed happily: since richer Chinese prefer iPhones to Android phones, these devices are where WeChat made much of its money.
根据语境，since表原因，强调中国富人更多是“果粉”，这是一个预设，苹果赚的就是中国土豪的钱，不是安卓用户的钱，但现在这笔钱却被微信卷走了，所以才会有苹果关闭微信打赏的下文。
因此，笔者认为“these devices”指的是iPhones。
[20] 如何用英文描述微信小程序？
... WeChat launched “mini-programmes,” a form of lightweight app that operates independently of Apple’s app store and robs it of revenues.
小程序：“mini-programmes”, a form of lightweight app that operates independently of Apple’s app store
（“小程序”是一种轻量型应用软件，其运营不受苹果应用商店控制。）
[21] 本段与前几段有何关联？
因果联系。
本段首句讲苹果已与腾讯微信开战，而这个结果正是由前几段（第三、四、五段）的原因所致。
- 第三段：苹果通讯服务惨败，苹果支付 (Apple Pay) 无关紧要，iCloud推广不成功，这一切都跟微信有关。
- 第四段：微信轻松化解苹果换机难题，使得苹果用户大量流失。
- 第五段：在微信的蚕食下，今年一季度苹果大中华区的总销售额同比降低了14%左右，连续五个季度下滑，iPhone出货量骤降了四分之一。
显然，如果没有这些原因（当然，下文还提到支付宝的因素），苹果几乎不会对微信“大开杀戒”。
--7--
Apple, meanwhile, had disliked but tolerated WeChat’s practice of allowing users to reward generators of content (for example, opinion columns) with small tips. These bypass Apple’s own payments mechanism. On April 19th Apple obliged WeChat to shut down tipping.
参考译文
与此同时，针对腾讯准许用户为内容（如评论专栏，实为公众号）制造者小额打赏的行为，苹果公司虽感到厌恶，不过也忍了。但这些钱都绕过了苹果自己的支付机制。于是，4月19日，苹果公司迫使微信关闭了打赏功能。
解 析
[22] “公众号”、“打赏”、“内容制造者”用英文分别怎么说？
- 公众号：opinion columns
- 打赏：tipping (n.) ；reward generators of content with small tips (v.)
- 内容制造者：generators of content
[23] 同为“强迫”之义，oblige与force有何不同？
请看两词的英英释义：
oblige: make (someone) legally or morally bound to an action or course of action [9]
（根据法律或道义）强使（某人）做（某事）
force: make (someone) do something against their will [10]
强迫（某人）做事
据新闻可知，苹果可能是依据相关规则或协议（与法律相关）才关闭打赏功能，所以宜用oblige。
苹果做的是手机，微信做的是软件，看起来八竿子打不着，苹果为啥要管微信打赏这件事？这涉及到苹果制定的规则。作为以封闭性著称的科技公司，苹果设计了Apple Store作为唯一的流量入口，并制定了平台和开发者之间的规则，凡是下载软件、购买付费软件等虚拟支付环节等，都需要走苹果的内购渠道，而且还要让苹果抽成30%。根据相关协议，使用虚拟支付的目的为“APP内解锁特性或功能”，像淘宝买东西、买机票等涉及实体或其他线下服务的产品，就排除在外，但微信打赏恰恰就在这个规则之内。看起来挺霸道，但如果一定要较真，苹果还是能够逻辑自洽的。[11]
[24] 苹果支付 (Apple Pay) 用英文怎么描述？
上文提供了两种表达方式：
- Apple Pay, its mobile-payment offering
- Apple Pay, Apple’s own payments mechanism
[25] 本段与上一段有何关联？
上一段首句便说苹果已与微信开战，然后讲微信抢夺其用户财富、开发小程序，本段补充说明，点出微信打赏绕过苹果支付机制的所谓真相，逼苹果出手。所以，本段仍然是承接上文。
--8--
Another front in the fighting is that the American firm’s mainland app store accepts Alipay, a payment service from China’s Alibaba, but not WeChat’s payment offering. Broadly, WeChat is going from being a social-media platform (akin to Facebook and WhatsApp rolled into one) to becoming a mobile-operating system, putting it on a collision course with Apple. “There is a war going on,” says Mr Brennan.
参考译文
该对抗的另一面是这家美国公司在中国内地应用商店里接纳了阿里巴巴的支付产品——支付宝，而非微信支付。大体上说，微信正从社交媒体平台 (类似Facebook和WhatsApp的合体) 演变为手机操作系统，势必要与苹果公司发生冲突。“一场大战正在上演。”布伦南说道。
解 析
[26] 如何用英文简要描述“支付宝”？
原文照抄：
- Alipay, a payment service from China’s Alibaba
但阿里巴巴仍未解释清楚。
这时可加上作者介绍腾讯时所用的表达：
- Alipay is a payment service from China’s Alibaba, one of China’s three big internet giants.
支付宝是中国三大互联网巨头之一的阿里巴巴旗下的支付服务（软件）。
[27] 如何理解短语：on a collision course？
请看词典释义：
on (a) collision course:
adopting an approach that is certain to lead to conflict with another person or group
所以，短语所在原句的意思是：“（微信）势必要与苹果公司发生冲突。”
[28] 本段与上下文有何关联？
本段首句点明了前后逻辑，即苹果接纳了微信支付的死对头支付宝，这也是苹果动此杀机的原因之一。
Another front in the fighting is that the American firm’s mainland app store accepts Alipay, a payment service from China’s Alibaba, but not WeChat’s payment offering.
但更重要的是后一句话：
WeChat is going from being a social-media platform (akin to Facebook and WhatsApp rolled into one) to becoming a mobile-operating system, putting it on a collision course with Apple.
微信逐渐发展为手机操作系统，要与苹果iOS系统抗衡，或许才是让苹果关闭打赏的真正原因吧。
综合第6-9段来看，本段点到了可能最关键的两层原因，承接上文，也为下文写苹果的其他对策做了铺垫。
--9--
Who will win such a clash of titans? Rumours are swirling among tech experts about what might happen next. Apple is trying to fortify its position. It is investing heavily in its large network of stores and research labs on the mainland; and it plans to include China in the first wave of countries in which its highly anticipated new iPhone will be launched later this year. But Apple is on the defensive, whereas Tencent is firmly on the attack.
参考译文
两巨头交锋，谁会胜出呢？在技术专家们中间流传着许多关于接下来将会发生什么的传言。苹果正设法巩固它的地位——大幅投资其在中国内地的大型零售网和研究实验室；打算把中国纳入到今年晚些时候即将推出的备受期待的新iPhone首发国行列。不过，苹果处于守势，而腾讯正在强攻。
解 析
[29] titan一词有何神话渊源？
titan在文中指“巨头”，源于希腊神话：
Greek Mythology any of the older gods who preceded the Olympians and were the children of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth). Led by Cronus, they overthrew Uranus; Cronus' son, Zeus, then rebelled against his father and eventually defeated the Titans.
【希腊神话】提坦巨神（奥林匹斯山众神之前的诸位老神, 都是天神乌拉诺斯和大地女神盖亚的孩子, 在克罗诺斯的带领下推翻了乌拉诺斯; 克罗诺斯的儿子宙斯后来反抗他父亲并最终击败提坦诸神）。[13]
[30] 苹果针对腾讯的扩张采取了哪些应对措施？
Apple is trying to fortify its position. It is investing heavily in its large network of stores and research labs on the mainland; and it plans to include China in the first wave of countries in which its highly anticipated new iPhone will be launched later this year.
两条措施如下：
- invest heavily in its large network of stores and research labs on the mainland
- plans to include China in the first wave of countries in which its highly anticipated new iPhone will be launched later this year
其实，不管是投资零售店或研究中心，还是提高果粉的待遇，其最终还是为了增收，还是要靠销售取胜。
[31] 本段最后一句有何作用？
But Apple is on the defensive, whereas Tencent is firmly on the attack.
腾讯咄咄逼人，开始强攻，苹果作为守方，疲于应付，这也为下文写技术专家看衰苹果做了铺垫。
--10--
Mr Brennan speculates that Tencent might even launch a WeChat phone, which would make Tencent’s offering completely independent of the iPhone. Anywhere else in the world, it would be foolish to go up against the Californian giant. In China, though, the native firm may have the advantage. As Connie Chan of Andreessen Horowitz, an investment fund in Silicon Valley, puts it: “Loyalty is much, much stronger to WeChat than to Apple in China.”
参考译文
布伦南推测，腾讯甚至会推出一款微信手机，从而使其产品完全不受iPhone约束。在世界其他地区，与这家加州科技巨头相抗衡的做法可能很蠢。但在中国，还是腾讯这家本土公司占优。陈女士 (Connie Chan) [14] 任职于硅谷安德森·霍罗威茨 (Andreessen Horowitz) 投资公司，正如她所言，“中国用户对微信的忠诚度要远远高于苹果。”
解 析
请结合全文，回答以下问题：
[32] “苹果公司” (Apple) 有多少种不同说法？
- the American giant（第2段）
- the American firm（第8段）
- a/the titan（第9段）
- the Californian giant（第10段）
[33] 腾讯为何能在这场对抗中占上风？
文中提到了：
“... the native firm may have the advantage.”
（腾讯是本土公司，具有“地利”的优势）
最后引用某个业内人士的话称：
“Loyalty is much, much stronger to WeChat than to Apple in China.”
即所谓的“地利”，就是微信在中国拥有庞大的用户群（9亿多用户），而苹果手机在中国市场的占有率仅为9%左右。显然，用户对微信的忠诚度要远高于苹果。
[34] 苹果VS腾讯，本文作者更看好哪家公司？
作者明显是更看好腾讯。
除首段外，从第二段到最后一段，作者始终在写苹果在中国遭遇的种种挑战与威胁，最后更是把话说绝：几乎每个中国人都在用微信，光用户忠诚度就秒杀你苹果几万条街。总之，你苹果毫无胜算。
小结
最后，让我们再梳理一下文章脉络，看能否学到一些行文布局技巧。
全文共有9段，内容分别为：
（一）苹果的诱人服务和换机风险使其在大多数国家无往而不胜。
（二）但苹果在中国内地水土不服，多项服务遭冷遇。
（三）苹果通讯、支付和云同步服务在中国内地同样受挫。
（四）腾讯微信轻松解决苹果换机难题。
（五）2013-2016年，苹果大中华区收入涨势喜人，但随后持续下滑。
（六）原本相安无事，但因微信支付和小程序的介入，两公司关系破裂。
（七）因支付机制冲突，苹果强迫腾讯关闭iOS系统微信打赏功能。
（八）联手支付宝，苹果与发展壮大的腾讯微信必有一战。
（九）苹果处于守势，加强销售与研发应对腾讯强攻。
（十）微信或完全独立，腾讯具有（本土）用户优势，有望胜过苹果。
谢谢阅读。
参考文献及译注
[1] http://www.economist.com/news/business/21722212-wechat-launches-mini-programmes-apple-bans-tipping-tencent-takes-apple-china
[2] 《朗文当代高级英语辞典》 (英英·英汉双解) (第5版)
[3] 《新牛津英汉双解大词典》 (第2版)
[4] 《新牛津英汉双解大词典》 (第2版)
[5] Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Edition)
[6] 《新牛津英汉双解大词典》 (第2版)
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retention_rate
[8] Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners (2nd Edition)
[9] 《新牛津英汉双解大词典》 (第2版)
[10] 《新牛津英汉双解大词典》 (第2版)
[11] http://epaper.southcn.com/nfdaily/html/2017-04/21/content_7633394.htm
[12] 《新牛津英汉双解大词典》 (第2版)
[13] 《新牛津英汉双解大词典》 (第2版)
[14] Connie Chan系华裔人士，Chan为陈姓，但Connie (康妮) 为英文名，并非中文名，故难以考证，只能勉强译为“陈女士”。
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