Sam OliverA new report from PC World Business Center states that Apple is in talks with China Mobile, the world's largest cell phone carrier. In a nation with an estimated 700 million mobile subscribers, China Mobile carries the lion's share, with more than 475 million as of March. A spokeswoman for the carrier confirmed the company is in talks with Apple to carry the iPhone, though an agreement has not been made.
The news comes as Apple confirmed Monday that its recently announced agreement with China Unicom is not exclusive, unlike contracts for the debut of the device in other countries across the world. But China is also a much bigger market: With its 700 million subscribers, there are more cell phone customers in China than in the U.S. and Europe combined.
Earlier this year, Apple and China Mobile were in talks, but could not reach an agreement, as the wireless carrier reportedly had issues with the iPhone App Store. At the time, it was said that China Mobile wanted direct control of the App Store, including the collection of payments. In addition, PC World said that China Mobile's proprietary 3G network is not compatible with the current iPhone hardware.
"The App Store and 3G standard snags could remain in any talks," the report said. "The China Mobile download store went online last month and supports handsets including 'Ophones,' or devices that run a China Mobile operating system but have a layout very similar to an iPhone."
Last week, Apple and China Unicom announced they struck a 3-year deal that will have the iPhone on sale in China in the fourth quarter of 2009. The device has been given government regulatory approval for use in the nation of over one billion for five years on China Unicom's network. The approved hardware is a GSM/WCDMA phone without Wi-Fi.
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15 Comments
They are the world's largest GSM network. The only caveat is that China Mobile's newly appointed license to build a 3G network will be TD-SCDMA, not W-CDMA, but with 475M subscribers and growing I can't see Apple holding back.
You know, someone is probably going to bring up the lack of Wi-Fi on the iPhone and attribute that to Chinese censorship. But, I think there must be another reason that Wi-Fi is excluded. Perhaps it is cost, perhaps something else.
I say this because Apple sells the iPod Touch in China. That's Wi-Fi equipped, right? And, computers connect to the internet in China; I know, it is slightly limited internet, but that would be the same type of internet service the iPhone would get. So, I think, there must be another reason. I don't think it is government censorship.
You know, someone is probably going to bring up the lack of Wi-Fi on the iPhone and attribute that to Chinese censorship. But, I think there must be another reason that Wi-Fi is excluded. Perhaps it is cost, perhaps something else.
I say this because Apple sells the iPod Touch in China. That's Wi-Fi equipped, right? And, computers connect to the internet in China; I know, it is slightly limited internet, but that would be the same type of internet service the iPhone would get. So, I think, there must be another reason. I don't think it is government censorship.
This is a very good observation. I too have wondered about this.
You know, someone is probably going to bring up the lack of Wi-Fi on the iPhone and attribute that to Chinese censorship. But, I think there must be another reason that Wi-Fi is excluded. Perhaps it is cost, perhaps something else.
I say this because Apple sells the iPod Touch in China. That's Wi-Fi equipped, right? And, computers connect to the internet in China; I know, it is slightly limited internet, but that would be the same type of internet service the iPhone would get. So, I think, there must be another reason. I don't think it is government censorship.
Phones are different beasts and legislation isnt always logical or rational, but I have heard that the Chinese gov't require an addition protocol to their WiFi that is outside the IEEE's 802.11 so that might have been an issue.
Also, where in China do they sell the Touch? There may different rules governing between mainland and Hong Kong.
So a Chinese citizen in China, a communist country, will have more choice for their iPhone service provider than the supposedly "free market" US. Somebody explain that to me again. Anyone ever heard of monopoly capitalism?