Apple and world's largest mobile carrier China Mobile reportedly seal iPhone deal
A report on Wednesday claims Apple and China Mobile have finally inked a deal to sell the popular iPhone on the world's largest wireless network, with devices supposedly heading out to customers later in December.
Citing sources close to the matter, The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple and China Mobile have struck a deal to make the iPhone available to the telecom's 740 million subscribers.
The partnership has been a long time coming, with rumors of a possible China Mobile iPhone offering dating back years. Most recently, a China Mobile subsidiary in Suzhou opened preorder reservations for both the latest iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c through its website, though the page was subsequently replaced by a survey gauging customer demand for 4G devices.
With China Mobile's unique TD-LTE network rollout coming in mid-December, many industry watchers expected sales for Apple's smartphone to go live this month. A report from the state-run Xinhua News Agency in November cited insiders as saying both new iPhone models would, in fact, be available on the 4G network's official Dec. 18 launch date.
China Mobile is the largest cellular carrier in the world, with some 740 million subscribers spread across the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and overseas. Of that massive number, only a fraction are 3G subscribers who would likely be the first to adopt faster, more expensive 4G technology. Even so, Apple is looking at well over 100 million potential customers at the outset, with the chance to tap into hundreds of millions more down the road.
Citing sources close to the matter, The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple and China Mobile have struck a deal to make the iPhone available to the telecom's 740 million subscribers.
The partnership has been a long time coming, with rumors of a possible China Mobile iPhone offering dating back years. Most recently, a China Mobile subsidiary in Suzhou opened preorder reservations for both the latest iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c through its website, though the page was subsequently replaced by a survey gauging customer demand for 4G devices.
With China Mobile's unique TD-LTE network rollout coming in mid-December, many industry watchers expected sales for Apple's smartphone to go live this month. A report from the state-run Xinhua News Agency in November cited insiders as saying both new iPhone models would, in fact, be available on the 4G network's official Dec. 18 launch date.
China Mobile is the largest cellular carrier in the world, with some 740 million subscribers spread across the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and overseas. Of that massive number, only a fraction are 3G subscribers who would likely be the first to adopt faster, more expensive 4G technology. Even so, Apple is looking at well over 100 million potential customers at the outset, with the chance to tap into hundreds of millions more down the road.
Comments
We all knew it was coming, but it's welcome news nonetheless.
Meanwhile ... here we go ... Wall Street will down grade AAPL because they fear Apple won't be able to supply demand / over stretched / lower margins / fill in the blank
CONGRATS APPLE!
I'm going out ... celebrate ... get drunk ... and will take tomorrow off as sick day! LOL
Hmm. No after-hours reaction. Yet. Might be fully priced in?
After hours is closed.
Good point!
Apple had a hard time getting the iPhone on China Mobile because China Mobile uses two quite unique digital cellular standards, TD-SCDMA and TD-LTE. It's possible that the cellphone radio chip on both the iPhone 5C and 5S are TD-SCDMA and TD-LTE compatible, but it's only now we know about that compatibility.
Expect a huge boost in iPhone sales as users from China Mobile's 750 million user base flock to the iPhone in a big way.
I think your humor is a bit too dry.
Seat belt fastened .... :smokey:
One needs to remember that there are already over 40 million iPhones on China Mobiles network so this is not a zero sum start to the sales process. But certainly it speaks to the demand, and pent up demand, on the network which currently doesn't even support the iPhone on their homegrown 3G network. China Mobile cleverly overcame this obstacle in major markets like Beijing by offering ubiquitous public wifi access to iPhone users by setting up their own wifi network across the city and offering it at a very low cost to iPhone subscribers. There will most certainly be a huge upgrade market among these current users as they rollout the 4G service in major markets.
source:
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2013/09/16/china-mobile-already-has-42-million-iphone-users-without-a-deal-with-apple-yet/
"China Mobile has built more than 22,000 4G base stations in 15 Chinese cities, and it plans to set up 200,000 base stations in 100 cities by the end of the year."
Source:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-12/05/content_17153061.htm
Good news for both Apple and China Mobile.
I had heard the China Mobile deal was not priced into the current price targets I honestly don't see how analysts would dare price in a deal that hadn't been made. That would be pretty stupid of them. Anyway, I'm looking for a bit more of a boost in Apple's share price this week. A Friday close of $575 seems doable or more likely just my wishful thinking. I'm not looking for huge sales of iPhones in China but every little bit helps. Four to five million more iPhones per quarter would be nice and hopefully there will be an iPad halo to follow. I'm not sure it will be enough to lose the perception of Apple's imminent doom but I can hope for the best.
I'm not looking for common sense from you. Your posts are consistently moronic. If they're serious, you're an idiot. If (somehow) they're satire, you fail.
700,000,000 x (oh, let's say) 3% = 21,000,000 sales. I think they'll do a lot better than 3%.
"iPhone: Designed In California. Made In China" - and will sell in China. A lot.
I think Wall Street knew it in advance. Evidence? The inexplicable rise over the last week.
Everyone and their brother knew in advance. Not just the analysts lmao. The exact date give or take a couple of weeks does not make any difference.
My take on the recent price hike is that is that with the Nasdaq up some 20% yoy aapl could not be in the red. I'm guessing $600-$620 by year end.
Disc. I own aapl stock
Disc. I have been wrong before
CONGRATS APPLE!
I'm going out ... celebrate ... get drunk ... and will take tomorrow off as sick day! LOL
CONGRATS China Mobile!