China Mobile asking Apple to intentionally cripple iPhones?

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
China Mobile is eventually expected to offer the iPhone to mainland China but has requested that Apple deliver a model with Wi-Fi and 3G technology disabled, according to the South China Morning Post.



The paper cited a Daiwa Institute of Research analyst as saying Beijing has not yet approved handsets with such features, and that Apple's iPhone manufacturing partner Foxconn is now waiting for authorization to begin shipping models to China Mobile with the W-CDMA and Wi-Fi chips disabled.



Cellular News (by way of CNet) explains the odd request is a result of competitive concerns. China Mobile is believed to be building its 3G network using the Chinese developed TD-SCDMA format, so it hopes that disabling 3G functionality will deter users from unlocking the device and jumping ship to rival China Telecom, whose network supports W-CDMA.



"Apple shouldn't customise a model of iPhone for the mainland market, given that it only provides a standardised product to operators around the world," Frederick Wong, an analyst with BNP Paribas, told the Post.



For its part, China Mobile is all too familiar with the propensity of consumers to unlock iPhones when given the opportunity. Market research firm In-Stat reported earlier this year that 400,000 unlocked iPhones were loose on the carrier's network, which represented about 10 percent of the units ever produced at the time.



In its report, the Cellular News highlighted the broad market opportunity presented to Apple by the Chinese market. Unlike in the US, where advanced smart phones still cater to a relatively small percentage of users, the market in China is a vast, entertainment-oriented business driven by consumers.



"The main reasons that Chinese mobile users purchase smartphones include entertainment and to access mobile Internet applications," the publication said. With In-Stat estimating that 20 percent of handsets sold in the region cost more than 4,000 RMB (US$533), that adds up to 28 million potential iPhone buyers.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 52
    Wait, if the iPhone would not work with CM's TD-SCDMA anyway, then what's the problem with this? Of course, the WI-FI block goes to far.
  • Reply 2 of 52
    So wait, does China mobile get their ideas from Verizon or vice versa?!?!



    I suppose they are worried about the speed at which they could find the websites that show their gymnasts are really 14



    Ok, fine, so I'll give them the 3G thing (although it's insanely anti-competitive but we are talking about China here) but why the Wi-Fi??
  • Reply 3 of 52
    foo2foo2 Posts: 1,077member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigmc6000 View Post


    I suppose they are worried about the speed at which they could find the websites that show their gymnasts are really 14



    They want to be sure the overly anxious reports of successful rocket launches can't be downloaded before the rockets are actually launched.



    As for Wi-Fi, perhaps government regulations for handsets with Wi-Fi are too onerous or China Mobile has Wi-Fi hotspots that it believes would not be able to keep up with bandwidth demands? Just speculating. It sure would be nice to know what's up with that.
  • Reply 4 of 52
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Foo2 View Post


    They want to be sure the overly anxious reports of successful rocket launches can't be downloaded before the rockets are actually launched.



    As for Wi-Fi, perhaps government regulations for handsets with Wi-Fi are too onerous or China Mobile has Wi-Fi hotspots that it believes would not be able to keep up with bandwidth demands? Just speculating. It sure would be nice to know what's up with that.



    It's cause they don't want users accessing the internet on their phone without paying for it through their network.
  • Reply 5 of 52
    Let China wait , give Malaysia iPhone first



    Besides, they deserve it, poor babies .
  • Reply 6 of 52
    What a shock. Trying to shield them from the real world!
  • Reply 7 of 52
    Need to tell China to go pound sand.



    I remember all that constant talk about how "China never shares revenue"!



    Well, ok.



    Don't share revenue.



    You won't see 400,000 iphones on the network with Wifi..... you'll see 4 million!



    Tell China that sharing revenue has it's benefits.

    Mouthing off about how they are powerful enough to not have to go for that deal..... ok we got yer Wi-Fi right here!
  • Reply 8 of 52
    Apple should in no way compromise it's iPhone to grease the wheels of insanity.Make 'em grow up!

    Maybe the key to this for Apple will be offering an app that allows wifi internet browsing but kills skype calls etc.
  • Reply 9 of 52
    mactelmactel Posts: 1,275member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hands Sandon View Post


    Apple should in no way compromise it's iPhone to grease the wheels of insanity.Make 'em grow up!



    Agreed.



    Customers would be in a bind traveling outside of China, Especially in Japan where 3G rules.
  • Reply 10 of 52
    No way don't do it Apple! This just shows the selfishness of Americans. Letting China win with there communist nation. Of course a new lesser version of the iPhone is well appreciated but I would not downgrade the current iPhone for a foreign nation just to make a buck. Do the right thing Apple!



    Everyone enjoy your day, keep on thinking different.
  • Reply 11 of 52
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by maclvr03 View Post


    What a shock. Trying to shield them from the real world!



    For those who want it in China, they can access the same information that the rest of the world can access.
  • Reply 12 of 52
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Steve's son View Post


    Of course a new lesser version of the iPhone is well appreciated but I would not downgrade the current iPhone for a foreign nation just to make a buck. Do the right thing Apple!





    I think they're gonna call "the right thing" iPhone Nano



    Touchscreen phone

    iPod

    Phone

    QWERTY in Landscape.
  • Reply 13 of 52
    Apple would be downright stupid to agree to something like this. At so many different levels. (Not the least, Yahoo's kow-towing to the Chinese government for fingering an activist's online presence a couple of years ago comes to mind: In my view, that was the beginning of the end of Yahoo).



    I seriously doubt that they'll go there.
  • Reply 14 of 52
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by HyteProsector View Post


    I think they're gonna call "the right thing" iPhone Nano



    If so, the Chinese can wait a while.
  • Reply 15 of 52
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    For those who want it in China, they can access the same information that the rest of the world can access.



    That is simply not true. For insance, just a couple of months ago, when I was there, I could could not access a whole bunch of sites, including something as simple and basic as maps.google.com.
  • Reply 16 of 52
    I personally care so little about 3G that I recently got a first generation iPhone on eBay. The only thing I'll miss is the GPS, but I wasn't willing to pay for it, so that's that.



    In fact, I think Apple should offer a second generation iPhone just like the 3G, with GPS but without 3G, and with a cheaper contract. The TCO of the device would be lower, battery life would be higher, and Apple would save the cost of the 3G chip. I would buy such a phone. Anybody with me?



    But, as others have noted, disabling WiFi is going way too far. You'd have to pay for data even in your own home. Hopefully this will be as unacceptable to Apple as it is to us.
  • Reply 17 of 52
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    That is simply not true. For insance, just a couple of months ago, when I was there, I could could not access a whole bunch of sites, including something as simple and basic as maps.google.com.



    Can't have the comrades knowing which direction or how close the fence is.
  • Reply 18 of 52
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BuzDots View Post


    Can't have the comrades knowing which direction or how close the fence is.



    If you sort of think about it, wouldn't any self-respecting police state actually want people to use on-line maps? This would tell them a lot about the places people are interested in or are planning to go to.
  • Reply 19 of 52
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BuzDots View Post


    Can't have the comrades knowing which direction or how close the fence is.



    Even though I'm not from China or of Chinese descent... I find that slightly insulting. I guess thats just my Socialist leanings speaking up



    On topic though, disabling wifi is WAY to far. Don't do it Apple!
  • Reply 20 of 52
    Let China wait! Let China wait! Give iPhone 3G to the rest of the world first and China last! No Wi-Fi? Then why would anybody buy the iPhone if its not for the apps and web browsing? Don't do it Apple, China people care less about brands (only a minority care bout brands).
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