Slash LaneSouth Korea launch said imminent
The Korea Communications Commission approved the iPhone at its meeting, which means Apple can now sell the device whenever it chooses, according to The Associated Press. After the handset's debut in China, South Korea is one of the last major Asian countries without the iPhone.
The handset is now expected to arrive in a matter of weeks, perhaps before the end of the month. Service providers KT Corp. and SK Telecom Co. have reportedly been in talks with Apple to sell the iPhone on their networks. None of the parties involved had anything to announce Wednesday.
The government approval for the handset came from a nationwide policy that all devices providing location-based services be subjected to review.
China Mobile talks ongoing
Apple's negotiations with the world's largest wireless provider, China Mobile, are said to remain in progress. A report Wednesday from Dow Jones Newswires stated that Wang Jianzhou, chairman of China Mobile, said his company would like to sell the iPhone, along with other smartphone models, to diversify their product lineup.
He said the iPhone is particularly attractive because of its appeal to younger customers.
Rival carrier China Unicom reached a three-year deal with Apple in August. The non-exclusive agreement left the door open for a potential deal with China Mobile.
Earlier this year, it was estimated that China Mobile has 475 million total subscribers. China Unicom is said to have 141 million of the nation's 700 million total wireless subscribers. There are more cell phone customers in China than in the U.S. and Europe combined.
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11 Comments
South Korea
That leaves UMTS-based SK Telecom with 22M subs and KT with 14M as potential GSM-based candidates. The odd system is that despite having UMTS and HSDPA/HSPA for 3G they have CDMA for 2G. The iPhone’s current 2G radios likely don’t need to be altered to work on their network. I’d wager that the size of the country means that their WCDMA has full coverage.
LG Telecom’s 8M CDMA-based subs are out. Only about 44M for the whole country though that is a 90% penetration rate.
China
With China Mobile’s reported 508M subs as of September 2009 it would behoove Apple to make an additional model for China, especially considering the lack of coverage each carrier has. The iPhone in it’s current form simply isn’t an option to everyone that wants it even if they can afford it. The currently use GSM, GPRS, EDGE and TD-SCDMA (3G). They appear to have about 1.5M on their 4G network.
Anyone have info on how different TDD is from FDD? Can this sue the same chips just working in different ways or are completely new radio hardware required for this change over?
South Korea
That leaves UMTS-based SK Telecom with 22M subs and KT with 14M as potential GSM-based candidates. The odd system is that despite having UMTS and HSDPA/HSPA for 3G they have CDMA for 2G. The iPhone?s current 2G radios likely don?t need to be altered to work on their network. I?d wager that the size of the country means that their WCDMA has full coverage.
LG Telecom?s 8M CDMA-based subs are out. Only about 44M for the whole country though that is a 90% penetration rate.
SK are pretty much out as they seem to be going down the Android path. Its officials show very little faith in the iPhone's chances of taking off in Korea. Maybe they just don't like what Apple is offering. They are used to having the upper hand.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news...133_55217.html
SK are pretty much out as they seem to be going down the Android path. Its officials show very little faith in the iPhone's chances of taking off in Korea. Maybe they just don't like what Apple is offering. They are used to having the upper hand.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news...133_55217.html
I can see that. I?m surprised it?s officially selling in China and that it?s doing as well as it is in Japan. Western consumer electronic companies selling in Asia sounds as foreign to me as Toyota selling as the Corolla in 1968. Back then America made it?s own CE. Oh how times change.
Does 3G blanket South Korea so that the CDMA HW will not be needed for a S. Korean iPhone?
Let's just say that the local newspapers in Korea are not hopeful with a SK Telecom iphone launch.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news...123_55161.html
Wow, the IPhone just gets bigger and bigger and bigger. Amazing!
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