WSJ: Apple preparing 'iPhone 5C' shipments for China Mobile, hints at new deal

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple is reportedly set to ship a rumored less-expensive version of the iPhone to China Mobile, indicating that the two companies have finally signed an agreement that could see the iPhone access the world's largest cellular carrier's over 700 million subscribers.

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Rendering of iPhone 5C in white. | Source: AppleInsider


Citing people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal on Friday reported Apple is prepping shipments of a low-cost iPhone, dubbed by many as the "iPhone 5C," to China Mobile, suggesting the Cupertino, Calif., company has finally reached an agreement with the Chinese telecom.

While an official signed agreement has not yet been announced, Apple's planned shipments strongly suggest a deal was reached after years of negotiations.

The sources say Apple asked partner supplier Foxconn to add China Mobile to the list of iPhone 5C recipients, though not much else is known about the purported plan. It is unknown if the carrier will be part of a launch expected to happen toward the end of September, but news of the deal may be announced at Apple's Sept. 10 media event.

A report on Thursday claimed current Apple partner carriers China Telecom and China Unicom would be taking receipt of both the iPhone 5C and the flagship "iPhone 5S" variant for a Sept. 20 release. China Mobile was said to be waiting in the wings and could debut the iPhone on its network as soon as November.

Apple will be holding a special event in the U.S. on Sept. 10, to be followed hours later by a separate event for China media.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 23
    undefined
  • Reply 2 of 23
    Try to act surprised on Sept 10.
  • Reply 3 of 23
    The rumor mill has taken all the fun out of Apple keynotes. Guaranteed to disappoint the pundits. Just you wait.
  • Reply 4 of 23
    Today the "C" means China. I wonder what it will be tomorrow.
  • Reply 5 of 23
    This will be huge for Apple! I think I read somewhere that China Mobile has a 3G penetration rate of around 30%, giving Apple a shot at nearly 200 million new potential customers. Can't wait to watch the the presser on Tuesdat!
  • Reply 6 of 23

    Absolutely so.  Watch AAPL tank on this news!

  • Reply 7 of 23
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post



    The rumor mill has taken all the fun out of Apple keynotes. Guaranteed to disappoint the pundits. Just you wait.

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by VinitaBoy View Post

     

    Absolutely so.  Watch AAPL tank on this news!

     


    Why do we care so much what pundits and Wall Streeters think, and how the shares are doing? This seems to dominate the discussions herein. Isn't it more interesting to talk about technology and products?

  • Reply 8 of 23

    I can't wait to see what 'global' (which essentially means, 'with' as opposed to 'without' China) smartphone market shares look like one year from now.

     

     

    Sammy is in for a very nasty surprise.

  • Reply 9 of 23
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by StruckPaper View Post

     

    Why do we care so much what pundits and Wall Streeters think, and how the shares are doing? 


    I guess we're all investors now, not just consumers.... :\

     

    But bragging rights too, I suppose.

  • Reply 10 of 23
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by StruckPaper View Post

     

    Why do we care so much what pundits and Wall Streeters think, and how the shares are doing? This seems to dominate the discussions herein. Isn't it more interesting to talk about technology and products?

     

    Many of us here are stockholders. Most are long-term stockholders, but I have seen the posts of those I'd guess were day traders.

    Speaking of which, it's interesting the stock hasn't exploded on the China Mobile rumor... Probably just a precursor to another massive short.
  • Reply 11 of 23
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post



    Try to act surprised on Sept 10.

     

    Funny! Best post!

  • Reply 12 of 23
    jfc1138jfc1138 Posts: 3,090member

    Given that there are surely an immense number of well to do people amongst that 700 million subscriber base it would be a severe mistake to solely or even mostly offer a lower priced model to China Mobile subscribers.

  • Reply 13 of 23
    jfc1138jfc1138 Posts: 3,090member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by APPLGUY View Post



    Today the "C" means China. I wonder what it will be tomorrow.

     

    "Classic"?

     

    I happen to hate the numbering. Much prefer the Macbook system: "Early 2011", "Air" or whatever, same with iPods.

  • Reply 14 of 23
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jfc1138 View Post

     

    Given that there are surely an immense number of well to do people amongst that 700 million subscriber base it would be a severe mistake to solely or even mostly offer a lower priced model to China Mobile subscribers.


    If the C works, so will the S, I am guessing. It probably won't be subsidized, that's all.

  • Reply 15 of 23
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jfc1138 View Post

     

    Given that there are surely an immense number of well to do people amongst that 700 million subscriber base it would be a severe mistake to solely or even mostly offer a lower priced model to China Mobile subscribers.


    Yes, except if new stories are to be believed, a lessor expensive model is a precursor for a China Mobile deal. This likely is to make up for China Mobile wanting to pay Apple less. 

  • Reply 16 of 23
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Now Bloomberg says a deal hasn't been finalized yet and won't be announced next week. LOL
  • Reply 17 of 23
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post



    The rumor mill has taken all the fun out of Apple keynotes. Guaranteed to disappoint the pundits. Just you wait.

     

    It's not the "rumor mill", it's the big news outlets that report the rumors as facts. I can't tell you how many times people come up to me (they know I'm an Apple person) and say, "Have you heard about the new phone Apple came out with?" Then they go on to list features that don't apply to any current Apple phone. I quickly correct them that it's only a rumor and Apple hasn't announced or released anything yet. Then they argue, "Yes they have, I heard it on such-and-such news."

     

    It's getting old.

     

    It's fun to guess what's coming, as long as you keep an open mind and don't carried away in all the rumors and speculation. Honestly, I've never been disappointed with any of their keynotes and product announcements, they're always fun and usually interesting.

     

    So having said all of that, my guess, in order of likely hood...

     

    1. The "C" stands for COLOR. This is the most obvious.

     

    2. The "C" stands for CLOUD. Along with an iTunes account, it will require users to sign up for an iCloud account. The phone will have minimal internal storage (8GB, maybe 16GB) keeping costs down and carriers happy with all the data usage from users using iCloud for more and more storage.

     

    3. The "C" stands for CHINA. This new iPhone 5C is a model made specifically for China Mobile, featuring built-in apps and services for the carrier. Apple only made 6 million original iPhones - there is far, far more potential sales with China Mobile. I'm guessing in a year Apple will have sold 50+ million iPhones on this carrier alone.

     

    4. The "C" stands for COMMERCIALS. For the lower price of the phone, Apple will subject users to ads in each of its stores: AppStore, iTunes, iBookStore, Apple Store, etc., and possibly even inject ads into Mobile Safari.

  • Reply 18 of 23
    Originally Posted by mjtomlin View Post

    It's not the "rumor mill", it's the big news outlets that report the rumors as facts. I can't tell you how many times people come up to me (they know I'm an Apple person) and say, "Have you heard about the new phone Apple came out with?" Then they go on to list features that don't apply to any current Apple phone. I quickly correct them that it's only a rumor and Apple hasn't announced or released anything yet. Then they argue, "Yes they have, I heard it on such-and-such news."

     

    It's getting old.

     

    It's fun to guess what's coming, as long as you keep an open mind and don't carried away in all the rumors and speculation. Honestly, I've never been disappointed with any of their keynotes and product announcements, they're always fun and usually interesting.


     

    I propose this quote be auto-posted in every rumor thread.

     

    2. The "C" stands for CLOUD. Along with an iTunes account, it will require users to sign up for an iCloud account.


     

    I don't think that's legal, is it? And the two accounts are the same.

     

     4. The "C" stands for COMMERCIALS. For the lower price of the phone, Apple will subject users to ads in each of its "stores"; AppStore, iTunes, iBookStore, Apple Store, etc., and possibly even inject ads into Mobile Safari.


     

    This is from the timelines where Hitler won. <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />

  • Reply 19 of 23
    The rumor mill has taken all the fun out of Apple keynotes. Guaranteed to disappoint the pundits. Just you wait.

    And the fact that we constantly read the rumors from the mill.
  • Reply 20 of 23
    The C is for COOK. The 4S was Siri / Steve. The 5C is for China / Tim.
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