This story brings one simple idea to mind - Apple is willing to sell iPhones with different hardware depending on its needs. While obviously making a new phone that works in China is far more profitable than making changes here in the States, it seems that Apple isn't necessarily so strong on its "one-spec fits all" stance.
Could this mean CDMA iPhones may actually be a possibility after all? Hmm....
I live in Hong Kong and travel to China frequently. There are many information from Hong Kong and Taiwan that the Chinese government want to be banned. Especially sensitive news and lottery numbers from Hong Kong (Underground gambling is a serious problem in China, they use official lottery results in Hong Kong for gambling.), in China, I'm not able to access most Hong Kong online newspaper and even Yahoo Hong Kong.
What I can do, however, with my iPhone 3G bought in Hong Kong, I am able to receive all those information via apps when I am using wifi. apps developer has create many different apps to let me reading news and lottery results in Hong Kong. I am not able to use my iPhone 3G as a regular phone (yet) in China, because the 3G coverage is still very very limited. But I'm sure that because data flow is much more easier to control via mobile network that's why they decide to remove the wifi when iPhone officially hits China.
I don't understand, however, why don't they disable wifi in iPod touch as well? iPod touch is being sold everywhere in China too.
I don't understand, however, why don't they disable wifi in iPod touch as well? iPod touch is being sold everywhere in China too.
ipod touch is not controlled by a service provider, but iphone is solely the deal btw apple and china unicom. so in order to force chinese iphone subscriber to use exclusively china unicom's network, they should ask apple to disable wi-fi. so subscriber will be charged more. china cellphone system is pay-as-you-go, not like those monthly subscription in US. this will add more money for china unicom and apple.
further to support wifi on iphone the efforts are much tougher in china than that in US for service provider. and for those who knew tech, they would have had the full fledged iphone with wifi already and they don't need tech support; for those relying on tech support from china unicom, it would be tough for them to provide adaqued support. this will reduce china unicom operational cost.
maybe without wifi chips iphone will be cheaper to a point both apple and china unicom can accept to make a deal. maybe just $4-5 dollars, but it is enough to break it or make it. for china unicom, Y25( $4 ) is a big deal. for apple, this will guarantee that not many will like to export chinese iphones to US or any other countries because of lack of hardware property.
if both apple and china uncom can still make lots of money while providing a reduced version iphone, why are people obsessively on knowing how come chinese iphone lacks of wifi?
IMHO I think the restriction was orchestrated by the Government and it's Gov't run carrier China Mobile. It might be a big brother issue wanting to restrict the populace from truly communicating with the outside world. But in reality it's China Mobile trying to get it their way, Gov't controlled App Store, Phones that only work in China using China Mobile's government-supported TD-SCDMA, and killing the competition by forcing it to overtax it's wireless network by allowing cellular connection. Jjust look at what has happened to AT&T, and they allow WiFi to the extent of providing FREE WiFI hotspots across the country. Can anyone say bring China Unicom network to it's Knees and frustrate all CHU subscribers. If AT&T can't readily upgrade it's Network to meet the demand of a couple Million iPhones how is a country that is just emerging into the 20th century going to handle possibly 10's of millions of subscriber demands. Result - Network meltdown.
att has about 80 millions of wireless users while china unicom has about 150 millions and china mobile has at least double on unicom's user number. network meltdown? not likely.
The Chinese regime blocks many sites. Most likely someone mentioned democracy or human rights on Twitter, a red flag went up, and it joined the official censor list.
I think it's rather sad how China is largely accepted into the world community, as if it's a normal country. We in the west do business with them as easily as we would any civilised country. It's a sad failure of the UN that their shocking human rights abuses go unchallenged, and there are no trade restrictions against them. They're really not much better than the likes of Iran, and I really feel sorry for anyone stuck living in such an oppressive place where something as simple and fundamental as freedom of speech can land you in jail.
There is not a good credit score system in china, so it is very easy for people to buy subsidized iPhone and break contract immediately. With Wifi removed, China Unicom doesn't need to worry about that ---- you don't buy an iPhone for phone calls only. However, it will be a heavy test for China Unicom's 3G network. People love internet.
I'm interested to see what the price will be.
Lol. I guess the richer will be able to afford the REAL iPhone, not the 100s out there which are all fakes.
I returned last week from vacation in China and this is old news there, BBC World was talking about the iPhone & Unicom. Everyone seemed fascinated with my iPhone, I think it will sell well there.
While there, I could not get on Facebook, it seems all U.S. social networking sites are blocked there. I think the only way to use Facebook in China is via a smartphone mobile app, 'cuz I do know one American guy there who uses Fb.
Also, all blog sites are blocked in China from CNN Political blog sites to Fortune blog sites to normal joe citizen blogs.
Gotta love the openness Communism (sarcasm). \ But the people are very nice, food is good, ancient history is cool to learn, and the women are beautiful.
My guess is because they may have trouble controlling what people access via wifi and difficulty tracking what sites people view/use and read. With regular internet access they can track and control everything (i.e. block sites and see what you're looking at).
The Chinese regime blocks many sites. Most likely someone mentioned democracy or human rights on Twitter, a red flag went up, and it joined the official censor list.
I think it's rather sad how China is largely accepted into the world community, as if it's a normal country. We in the west do business with them as easily as we would any civilised country. It's a sad failure of the UN that their shocking human rights abuses go unchallenged, and there are no trade restrictions against them. They're really not much better than the likes of Iran, and I really feel sorry for anyone stuck living in such an oppressive place where something as simple and fundamental as freedom of speech can land you in jail.
Comments
Could this mean CDMA iPhones may actually be a possibility after all? Hmm....
What I can do, however, with my iPhone 3G bought in Hong Kong, I am able to receive all those information via apps when I am using wifi. apps developer has create many different apps to let me reading news and lottery results in Hong Kong. I am not able to use my iPhone 3G as a regular phone (yet) in China, because the 3G coverage is still very very limited. But I'm sure that because data flow is much more easier to control via mobile network that's why they decide to remove the wifi when iPhone officially hits China.
I don't understand, however, why don't they disable wifi in iPod touch as well? iPod touch is being sold everywhere in China too.
I don't understand, however, why don't they disable wifi in iPod touch as well? iPod touch is being sold everywhere in China too.
ipod touch is not controlled by a service provider, but iphone is solely the deal btw apple and china unicom. so in order to force chinese iphone subscriber to use exclusively china unicom's network, they should ask apple to disable wi-fi. so subscriber will be charged more. china cellphone system is pay-as-you-go, not like those monthly subscription in US. this will add more money for china unicom and apple.
further to support wifi on iphone the efforts are much tougher in china than that in US for service provider. and for those who knew tech, they would have had the full fledged iphone with wifi already and they don't need tech support; for those relying on tech support from china unicom, it would be tough for them to provide adaqued support. this will reduce china unicom operational cost.
maybe without wifi chips iphone will be cheaper to a point both apple and china unicom can accept to make a deal. maybe just $4-5 dollars, but it is enough to break it or make it. for china unicom, Y25( $4 ) is a big deal. for apple, this will guarantee that not many will like to export chinese iphones to US or any other countries because of lack of hardware property.
if both apple and china uncom can still make lots of money while providing a reduced version iphone, why are people obsessively on knowing how come chinese iphone lacks of wifi?
IMHO I think the restriction was orchestrated by the Government and it's Gov't run carrier China Mobile. It might be a big brother issue wanting to restrict the populace from truly communicating with the outside world. But in reality it's China Mobile trying to get it their way, Gov't controlled App Store, Phones that only work in China using China Mobile's government-supported TD-SCDMA, and killing the competition by forcing it to overtax it's wireless network by allowing cellular connection. Jjust look at what has happened to AT&T, and they allow WiFi to the extent of providing FREE WiFI hotspots across the country. Can anyone say bring China Unicom network to it's Knees and frustrate all CHU subscribers. If AT&T can't readily upgrade it's Network to meet the demand of a couple Million iPhones how is a country that is just emerging into the 20th century going to handle possibly 10's of millions of subscriber demands. Result - Network meltdown.
att has about 80 millions of wireless users while china unicom has about 150 millions and china mobile has at least double on unicom's user number. network meltdown? not likely.
FYI:
Just to add, Twitter and Blogspot are also blocked in China.
Really? Why?
Really? Why?
The Chinese regime blocks many sites. Most likely someone mentioned democracy or human rights on Twitter, a red flag went up, and it joined the official censor list.
I think it's rather sad how China is largely accepted into the world community, as if it's a normal country. We in the west do business with them as easily as we would any civilised country. It's a sad failure of the UN that their shocking human rights abuses go unchallenged, and there are no trade restrictions against them. They're really not much better than the likes of Iran, and I really feel sorry for anyone stuck living in such an oppressive place where something as simple and fundamental as freedom of speech can land you in jail.
Excuse my ignorance, but why not Wi-Fi?
China is probably not fully ready for WIFI yet IMO.
There is not a good credit score system in china, so it is very easy for people to buy subsidized iPhone and break contract immediately. With Wifi removed, China Unicom doesn't need to worry about that ---- you don't buy an iPhone for phone calls only. However, it will be a heavy test for China Unicom's 3G network. People love internet.
I'm interested to see what the price will be.
Lol. I guess the richer will be able to afford the REAL iPhone, not the 100s out there which are all fakes.
While there, I could not get on Facebook, it seems all U.S. social networking sites are blocked there. I think the only way to use Facebook in China is via a smartphone mobile app, 'cuz I do know one American guy there who uses Fb.
Also, all blog sites are blocked in China from CNN Political blog sites to Fortune blog sites to normal joe citizen blogs.
Gotta love the openness Communism (sarcasm).
Excuse my ignorance, but why not Wi-Fi?
My guess is because they may have trouble controlling what people access via wifi and difficulty tracking what sites people view/use and read. With regular internet access they can track and control everything (i.e. block sites and see what you're looking at).
The Chinese regime blocks many sites. Most likely someone mentioned democracy or human rights on Twitter, a red flag went up, and it joined the official censor list.
I think it's rather sad how China is largely accepted into the world community, as if it's a normal country. We in the west do business with them as easily as we would any civilised country. It's a sad failure of the UN that their shocking human rights abuses go unchallenged, and there are no trade restrictions against them. They're really not much better than the likes of Iran, and I really feel sorry for anyone stuck living in such an oppressive place where something as simple and fundamental as freedom of speech can land you in jail.
Thanks!