iPhone information appears on China Unicom website

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Photos and specifications for the iPhone have been posted on the website of wireless carrier China Unicom, a sign that Apple may finally be ready to enter the world's largest cell phone market.



The information provided on the website of the cellular provider's Shanghai branch does not indicate whether the Apple handset will be available from China Unicom, but joins references to similar handsets like the Android-based G1 that will be supported by the carriers upcoming 3G network.



According to Macworld UK, the site changes come one week after China Unicom representatives met stateside with Apple executives in what was described in media reports as a "breakthrough" session geared towards offering the iPhone 3G on the Chinese carrier's network.



A spokesperson at China Unicom headquarters could not explain why the information had been posted on one of the carrier's regional websites, though it's reportedly not uncommon for the company's branches to operate independently.



Exactly one month ago, British consulting firm firm Ovum suggested Apple may have switched its choice of carrier from China Mobile to China Unicom in a bid to finally deliver the iPhone to Chinese customers.



A launch was said to hinge largely on China Unicom's first trial run of its new 3G network this May. In contrast to China Mobile, which is pushing the government's TD-SCDMA wireless standard, the smaller provider will be running its first trials for an iPhone-compatible WCDMA network which would let Apple sell its current handset virtually unchanged with full feature support.



Although Apple has long pursued a deal with China Mobile, the world's largest cellular provider with over 415 million subscribers, talks have reportedly stalled over the government-backed carrier's insistence on controlling the local version of the App Store, among other demands.



It's estimated that 20 percent of all mobile phone users in China will be on 3G networks in the next three years; China Unicom counted among its customers approximately 125 million GSM subscribers as of last August.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    nceencee Posts: 857member
    Those numbers are just crazy. If Apple taps into just a small part of it, it should have Apple folks - stock holders smiling from ear to ear.



    Skip
  • Reply 2 of 21
    The photos on the website are of the 1st generation iPhone.
  • Reply 3 of 21
    tenten Posts: 42member
    Start the stock buying frenzy... let the Bull run begin! I see Apple back to it's all time highs again by June.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    With the iPhone 3G track record, more problems for Apple...



    Light leaks, dust under the LCD and loose buttons... 3G problems etc etc... Apple will be in for a big one.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by italiankid View Post


    With the iPhone 3G track record, more problems for Apple...



    Light leaks, dust under the LCD and loose buttons... 3G problems etc etc... Apple will be in for a big one.



    Kramer, is that you?
  • Reply 6 of 21
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by italiankid View Post


    With the iPhone 3G track record, more problems for Apple...



    Imagine how much better off Apple (and we iPhone users) would be without the iPhone and all its "problems"



    Trolls are at their very finest self-parody when they think other people take them seriously.
  • Reply 7 of 21
    dluxdlux Posts: 666member
    Quote:

    In contrast to China Mobile, which is pushing the government's TD-SCDMA wireless standard, the smaller provider will be running its first trials for an iPhone-compatible WCDMA network which would let Apple sell its current handset virtually unchanged with full feature support.



    This sounds like the Verizon > AT&T negotiation all over again.



    Personally, I think it would be great if Apple only needs to manufacture one network-version of the iPhone.
  • Reply 8 of 21
    dluxdlux Posts: 666member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nagromme View Post


    Trolls are at their very finest self-parody when they think other people take them seriously.



    Go read some of italiankid's earlier posts. Apparently the therapy sessions haven't helped at all.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    gmcalpingmcalpin Posts: 266member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dlux View Post


    Go read some of italiankid's earlier posts. Apparently the therapy sessions haven't helped at all.



    It's not nice to make fun of people who are obviously mentally handicapped.
  • Reply 10 of 21
    This might be good business for Apple in the short term, but I am not so sure how China could twist this out of proportion. China has no copyright laws there of any kind. This means they could just be selling phony iPhones instead of the real thing. Also, with all of the problems there are with harmful chemicals and pollution in that country, I am not even sure it would go well with Apple's image of eco-friendliness.



    Regardless of what others may think, I think China's government is one of the worst on the planet, which -in my opinion - makes the country a bad place to do anything in, including business.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    pxtpxt Posts: 683member
    My guess is that Apple always wanted China Unicom and the China Mobile negotiations were a prelude to the real thing. Apple want to use the standard 3G protocol anyway and going with the smaller (125Million!) partner gives them the leverage to offer switchers to the carrier in return for compliance with Apple's requirements. I look forward to seeing statistics on the % of China Unicom new customers that have switched to get the iPhone, just like with AT&T, etc.
  • Reply 12 of 21
    cameronjcameronj Posts: 2,357member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PXT View Post


    My guess is that Apple always wanted China Unicom and the China Mobile negotiations were a prelude to the real thing. Apple want to use the standard 3G protocol anyway and going with the smaller (125Million!) partner gives them the leverage to offer switchers to the carrier in return for compliance with Apple's requirements. I look forward to seeing statistics on the % of China Unicom new customers that have switched to get the iPhone, just like with AT&T, etc.



    I totally agree.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    Will China have it's own app store? Or will China (and other nations) have their own regional stores?



    From a developer standpoint, it'd be great to have one app store.
  • Reply 14 of 21
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Crtaylor View Post


    Regardless of what others may think, I think China's government is one of the worst on the planet, which -in my opinion - makes the country a bad place to do anything in, including business.



    Apparently billions of people have no problem doing business there.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gfxblit View Post


    Will China have it's own app store? Or will China (and other nations) have their own regional stores?



    From a developer standpoint, it'd be great to have one app store.



    I think it would make more sense to have regional stores for certain countries with an option to access additional content. OTOH, I think there may be no Chinese App Store... ever.
  • Reply 16 of 21
    ameristamerist Posts: 77member
    1. Push out CDMA iPhone to China

    2. in 2012 Let Verizon have CDMA iPhone

    3. ????

    4. Profit!
  • Reply 17 of 21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Apparently billions of people have no problem doing business there.



    Nor with the people there.....
  • Reply 18 of 21
    Long time visitor to AppleInsider, first time poster...



    Just got this from a friend who works with one of the big consulting firms here in Shanghai regarding the iPhone and China Unicom:



    3月25日上午消息,中国联通上海分公司多位客服人员今日正式对外证实与苹果达成合作关系,即将在中国引入 3G版iPhone(手机上网)。中国联通上海分公司新闻发言人向新浪科技表示,需要就此内部咨询后给予回 复,不过北京联通分公司则表示尚未接到相关通知。



    据上海联通多位客服人员介绍,今日刚刚接到的通知,联通已经与苹果达成一致,目前正在筹备iPhone入华 工作。?目前预计在5月中旬和3G网络一起推出。此外,该人士还表示,在联通3G网络正式开通前可能会推 出iPhone相关体验活动,中国联通上海分公司网站(http://www.sh.chinaunicom.com/3G/4/4...32461;。



    不过,北京联通有关人士向新浪科技表示,尚未接到有关推出iPhone手机的通知,不对此置评。联通集团相 关人士表示,目前未收到与苹果达成协议的相关通知。不过另有接近交易的相关人士透露,联通与苹果引进iPh one的合作确实有了重大进展,但到目前还没有最终签署协议。



    上周有报道称,以中国联通副总裁李刚为代表的谈判小组于3月8日带队前往美国苹果公司总部,经过近10天的 谈判,谈判小组于18日返回北京。据悉,此次谈判获得了重大进展,但并未签署最终的合作协议.



    Which sorta translates into:

    The Shanghai Branch of China Unicom has announced that they will be carrying the iPhone (although it is not official), it will be launched around mid-May, there is no signed agreement yet... and that's it, I guess...



    It's a waiting game for all of us here in China (i'm working and living in China)!
  • Reply 19 of 21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Crtaylor View Post


    This might be good business for Apple in the short term, but I am not so sure how China could twist this out of proportion. China has no copyright laws there of any kind. This means they could just be selling phony iPhones instead of the real thing. Also, with all of the problems there are with harmful chemicals and pollution in that country, I am not even sure it would go well with Apple's image of eco-friendliness.



    Regardless of what others may think, I think China's government is one of the worst on the planet, which -in my opinion - makes the country a bad place to do anything in, including business.



    You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Here's a start: turn off Fox News.



    China does have copyright laws. Their level of enforcement varies from city to city, province to province. And news flash, there already are tons of iPhone clones here on the market. Meizu M8 anyone? I didn't think so. China Unicom wouldn't be so bold to try and pass off clones for the real thing, and Chinese consumers aren't so naive.



    Do you even know where the iPhone is made? I'll give you a hint...it's that place with all the harmful chemicals and pollution.



    Regardless of what others may think, you've been completely brainwashed to think China's government is bad, yet in reality it is no worse than any other government, including the US of A.
  • Reply 20 of 21
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Apparently it's now official. Sales begin May 17th.
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