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Thursday, August 27, 2009, 03:55 pm
China Unicom, Apple deal could be announced Friday - report
The on again, off again rumors of an imminent iPhone launch for carrier China Unicom are back once more, this time with reports suggesting talks between Apple and the Chinese provider are nearing an end.While the Wall Street Journal noted that talks between Apple and China Unicom are believed to be "nearing conclusion," Reuters, in a story Thursday, states that a deal could be announced as soon as Friday.
China Unicom is set to hold a media briefing Friday to discuss its financial results for the first half of 2009. A China Unicom spokeswoman said the iPhone "would undoubtedly be discussed," according to Retuers.
"Apple's iPhone manufacturing partner Hon Hai is making the iconic handset for a Chinese company, an official at the Taiwanese firm said, declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media," the report states.
The core of the news and speculation has always remained the same: Apple and China Unicom are in talks to have the wireless carrier become the exclusive provider of the iPhone in China. The problem is, many reports out of the nation of over one billion have alleged that a deal was finalized, only for the reports to be denied on numerous occasions.
What can be said with certainty is a new model of the iPhone without Wi-Fi was given government regulatory approval for use on the China Unicom network in July. That device is a GSM/WCDMA iPhone that operates on the 900MHz, 1700MHz and 1900MHz bands. Apple executive Tim Cook has made it clear that his company intends to sell the iPhone in China within a year.
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Previous Comments View All
CDMA iPhone - Hmmmmm!!!!!
I read it somewhere today that the 8GB iPhone 3G will cost around $350 plus a two-year subscription with monthly fee around $30. If that's true, I suspect most rational Chinese will simply continue to buy 32GB iPhone 3GS from HK, which will only cost a little bit more. The monthly fee in China is so cheap that I doubt many will use over $30 a month.
I agree... in many countries like the EU, and parts of Asia like India and China, most folks use prepaid phones. Even the hi end users prefer to buy and unlocked phone then get their own prepaid SIM card. In EU, roaming is expensive and people travel a lot for vaccations, work or even short trips... some countries you can leave and come back on a single tank of gas.
I have not been to China, but may be somebody here can tell how available are the unlocked iPhones and cost.
Seems really dumb not to have wifi access on the phone. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think China has wide 3G coverage yet. So it would mean that much of the functionality of the iPhone - from Apps, iTunes, MMS, Maps, etc - is fairly useless.
I'd venture a guess that this will flop.
Seems really dumb not to have wifi access on the phone. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think China has wide 3G coverage yet. So it would mean that much of the functionality of the iPhone - from Apps, iTunes, MMS, Maps, etc - is fairly useless.
I'd venture a guess that this will flop.
There is no wi-fi at the request of the chinese government, easier to restrict what people do / greater control over communications. If you read the article the phone is a ... nm lol it's not that long you can read it
Seems really dumb not to have wifi access on the phone. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think China has wide 3G coverage yet. So it would mean that much of the functionality of the iPhone - from Apps, iTunes, MMS, Maps, etc - is fairly useless.
I'd venture a guess that this will flop.
I think due to China's iron fist control, Apple had no choice. I seriously doubt they will have access to an unfiltered App Store nor anything without the say so of the big red chinese machine.
I will wager that the Iphone introduced legally into the china market, denuded or not, is the Trojan Horse that Apple has been looking for to establish itself into china. You will see the wooing of the China market as Steve Jobs next great sell.
I hear that Palm is trying to get a China deal as well. On the second half of the page:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=amoumFpAlsP8
best source for info is this site:
http://iphonasia.com/?p=6186
I was in China this summer; Beijing and Shandong, and on tv they advertise 3G phones quite a bit, so they definitely have it. It's fairly new technology and I believe it's mostly in city areas, but it is definitely there. I can't speak on how much unlocked phones cost, but I know when I showed my iPhone to friends they liked it. Another friend n Shenzhen (close to Hong Kong) wanted to buy one last year, but didn't want to deal with getting it from HK. Yes, some can get it from Taiwan or HK, but dint want to deal with it or know someone to buy one from on the mainland or just want one from a China store, etc. Let's say 3 million people buy one in the next 6 months, most don't want it from some guy on the street or whatever, like anyone they want to walk into a store and buy one officially.
I was in Shenzhen last year and a guy came up and pulled out an iPhone, I waved him off, but wish I had my friend ask him how much it was just out of curiosity.
Anyway, some will buy from the underground, but I think most will not and it will be a success. If anything just because a lt of Chinese are fascinate with American/western culture and items, then add in the perceived "cool" factor (as is here)... it will sell well. A lot of people there are impressed and know "Apple" that I know for fact.
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I read it somewhere today that the 8GB iPhone 3G will cost around $350 plus a two-year subscription with monthly fee around $30. If that's true, I suspect most rational Chinese will simply continue to buy 32GB iPhone 3GS from HK, which will only cost a little bit more. The monthly fee in China is so cheap that I doubt many will use over $30 a month.