Major Chinese news portal 163.com is reporting [Google machine translation] that Apple has finally signed a deal with China Unicom to bring the iPhone 3G to mainland China in October. This is huge news for Apple, which is now to enter a market with around 700 million mobile phone users, the biggest in the world (US: around 270 million).
Following months of negotiations between Apple and China Unicom, “industry insiders” are reportedly expecting an official announcement to be made by the country’s second biggest mobile telecommunications company tomorrow in Hong Kong.
Chinese users will get the iPhone 3G with 8GB for $365 with a 2-year contract and a monthly rate of $27 (minimum). The Wi-Fi function will be disabled initially but may be added in the future, along with China’s homegrown WAPI (WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure) standard.
No word yet on the iPhone 3GS for China, but this may happen very soon, too. 163.com already shows [Google machine translation] a picture of what appears to be a Chinese model with a specific serial number (A1303) reserved for the 3GS.
It will be interesting to see how Dell will react to Apple’s move with its China-only smartphone “mini 3i”, which is neither priced nor dated yet.
Via 163.com [CN]
Thanks to Snake Chen from NetEase for the tip.
Read more about the China-iPhone in English here.
So, let me get this straight. This is going to be a CDMA iPhone?
Took that part out. Official info on how that’ll work as soon as we get it.
OK, would be fascinating if it were
An exciting,happy news for the Chinese…iPhone will now be hitting the largest mobile market in the world…
Actually Unicom is the 2nd biggest MOBILE telco in China, but overall it’s 3rd, maybe even 4th.
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Actually, China Unicom is on GSM/WCDMA and has 133mn subs (end of 2008).
How does that work GSM/WCDMA? Aren’t those two different technologies?
GSM (also known as 2G) and WCDMA know as 3G (EDGE is somewhat like 2.5G). The 3G iPhone in Europe works on both without any problem.
What is AT&T’s 3G, also WCDMA?
If it wasn’t, the iPhone wouldn’t work with AT&T ;)
EDGE is basically a bolt-on to 2G. Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution is what it stands for, and the upgrade is a lot less for the telco to do than going to 3G (Although it’s not as worldwide as 3G, which is strange).
Hong Kong’s a weird place, because the iPhone IS actually carried there, (Three) but it’s not in mainland China. Odd that.
Yes. Verizon is on CDMA2000 which is the equivalent of WCDMA/UMTS.
Lovely alphabet soup…
I use CDMA! It is very confortable
Quick Question: So if the wifi function is not going be available initially, the Chinese will not be able to access apps at all?
ever heard of the possibility to download apps on your PC in iTunes and then sync ‘em to your iPhone ? ;-)
WiFi is not the only way to get Apps bigger than 10mb (along jailbreaking of course, which even makes it possible over 3G to download Navigon (1.3 GB), if you’re crazy enough that is :P )
Of course. I just rarely buy through itunes but straight from my phone and then sync it with itunes later. Forgot for a second. Thanks though.
App store can run over 3G, or using desktop iTunes syncing to copy apps.
cheers.
Any word on when the iPhone 3GS is coming to India?
How Dell will react to Apple’s move with its China-only smartphone “mini 3i”, which is neither priced nor dated yet.
>>>> A smart move by Apple, now its going to hit the largest mobile market. It indirectly competes with Dell. Eager to see whether iPhone or Mini 3i gains market share.
Potentially a huge money maker for apple, but surely if there biggest feature on the iphone (wifi) is disabled then the whole purpose is lost. Could it cost them customers?
This is the best move for Apple ever
The iPhone’s biggest feature is that it’s the best phone out there, wifi or not.
Surely it will cost you, if the outrageous price tag n’ staggering phone bills remain to be the biggest feature of iPhone.
Apple has a WiFi-enabled model in China’s CTTL test/approval pipeline. This iPhone will include WAPI, China’s proprietary encryption standard.
The WiFi enabled model for China is model A1325 … Google it or read here > http://iphonasia.com/?p=6186
No great news for Apple. It is not just the market size that matters, it is how they launch. In India, the second largest market, they failed miserably because of the high price the greedy Vodaphone and Airtel charged for iphone. Lets wait for the China deal details.
price of device and plan is not a problem in China given its consumer habit
Best bit about the whole lot is that the wifi chip will still be in the phone, just unusable through Chinese firmware. Jailbreak time!
Will not be that successful. China Unicom is quite a bit smaller than China Mobile. More importantly relatively few people in China do contracts compared to North America, they are typically pay as you go. Also, China Unicom will find some way to screw over Apple, just wait and see.
does that mean we will have to switch cell number? most mobile users holds china mobile number. unicom is also known for the lack of signal strength in certain area
Serkan,
Thanks much for the link at the bottom of your post to my interview with Mobinode. Great tech blog in China with very gracious staff.
There have been several new developments that have not been covered widely in the western tech press. Looks like there will be 2 iPhones for China (Models A1324 and A1325). Most interesting is that Model A1325 will include WiFi. I also would not rule out two carrier deals in China. China Mobile has rekindled their interest.
In case anyone is interested, I’ve added several recent posts …
http://iphonasia.com/?p=6224
http://iphonasia.com/?p=6171
http://iphonasia.com/?p=6186
Hi Dan
I totally do not think Wangjianzhou,CEO of China Mobile will lauch iPhone in the near future.
In GSM World Congress 2009,Wangjianzhou told me that he will start a open platform.And just now they annouced their Mobile Market.
I don’t think Chinese Gorverment support TD-SCDMA need a foreigne grady company like apple.
I wish to discuss this with you.Reach me @ my email.
@ Snake Chen
China Mobile CEO, Wang Jianzhou made his feelings known on Monday during a press briefing, “We have stayed in contact with Apple over the issue of introducing iPhone into the China market” … “Both Ophone and iPhone have their own characteristics and they do not need to compete against each other” says Wang.
Wang Jianzhou’s quote “they do not need to compete against each other” supports my thesis … The bridge between Apple and China Mobile is a 2G (EDGE network) iPhone. China Mobile’s 2G network provides a clear, crisp signal across China, and despite its slower speed (relative to 3G), serves many hundreds of millions of wireless consumers. A low price 2G iPhone might sell by the millions … if not tens of millions.
A TDSCDMA iPhone is likely out of the picture. It has received a luke-warm reception by Chinese consumers and China Mobile is moving rapidly to TD LTE 4G. Consequently, it’s my view that Apple won’t build a TD iPhone unless China Mobile agrees to a substantial pre-purchase (5+ million units).
China Mobile and Apple may also chat about TD LTE 4G for 2011 … and possibly a conversation about that new rumored “iTablet thingy” that no one is supposed to know about.
well, that took them long enough
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this message sent from my iTablet
Ironic, it should read “its coming back to China”, considering that is where it was made.
Welcome home!!
You guys missed the real news:
China Unicom is rolling its own App Store:
see it at http://www.kai-mai.com/node/174
@ kai
You were on this early and you are correct … albeit I still feel that Apple may be creating a clone version of the App Store and providing substantial assistance to China Unicom.
As Kai notes … there are issues with Apple controlling the App Store in China. Servers must be in China to comply with state rules and there may be other licensing issues. Look for a clone App Store (branded for China Unicom and “controlled by” China Unicom) with the option for users to pay by credit card (the minority) or via China Unicom’s value-added services platform.
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