(Read Update below:)
After numerous reports of iPhone striking a deal in China, either with China mobile or China Unicom, it seems that iPhone fans in China can expect the iPhone to hit the mainland officially only in 2010 (as hinted in Q2 results by Apple). Apple’s dominating policies and demand for a high share in revenues from mobile operators is said to be the reason for the delay.
The 1st Gen Apple iPhone sold in large numbers in China (unofficially) and demand for the 3G is certainly high. A 2010 target indicates that Apple wont be pushing the iPhone 3.0 in China initially and that also rules out the cheaper, low end iPhone that was said to be in works specially for Asian markets.
Expecting a full featured and pro iPhone in June / July. Perhaps and upgrade later this year, but certainly no cheaper version with limited features!
Update: Dan Butterfield infomrs us in comments (below) that China Tech News might have misenterpreted Apple COO’s wordings while reporting this (and in that case so did we). According to him the iPhone 3G might well make it to China this year. We have previously reported that China Unicom might announce the iPhone officially around May.
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Please don’t feed the bears this FUD started by Trading Markets and China Tech News! In the process you’re perpetuating miss-information. A China website simply offered up a poor (wrong) translation to the Apple Q2 earnings conference call.
Look for iPhone in China announcement either May 17 or June 9 with a launch in China mid to late summer (no sooner than July)
Read here >
http://idannyb.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/preempting-fud-re-iphone-in-china-from-china-tech-news/