Hong Kong's iPhone 3G gets an unboxing

On top of a piano, no less. China might be a bit late to the party by now, but they've sure got class. Taiwan retailer ePrice has unboxed 3's Hong Kong version of the iPhone for your viewing pleasure, and they even did a bit of Chinese handwriting recognition just for kicks. There's video as well (we embedded one after the break), so you really can't go wrong with this one, we promise.

Update: For the record, this is a Hong Kong version of the phone, running what is purportedly a Chinese Traditional (Taiwan's language of choice) UI, unboxed by a Taiwanese retailer. We update the post to reflect those facts, conspiracy theorists can return to their daily lives.

[OneLove @ Jul 9th 2008 12:48PM]

replica

[Jack Blackwell @ Jul 9th 2008 1:00PM]

Why would you YouTube a video of using the iPhone 3Gs iPod fuction, bin there done that last year! I want to see page load times in safari or the error message you get trying to look at the Apps store at the very least!

[Serco @ Jul 9th 2008 2:36PM]

@LCDY
take ur ignorance somewhere else

Taiwan is also known as Republic of China (ROC),

U see China in the name? WEll it is part of China. so gtfo

[繁體中文 @ Jul 9th 2008 3:04PM]

@Serco:
I agree with your comments!

@Everyone else pro-independence Taiwan:
"Taiwan is a breakaway region of China" and this means it's still part of China, but with a separate constitution. (Quote from BBC)

Oh - hang on, pro-independence Taiwan? this means you want Taiwan independence from China right? So how can you say Taiwan is not part of China? Strange... the irony...

@Everyone else confused:
Please read Wikipedia (there's a few articles of must-reads if you haven't already done so) and clear your mind up regarding the Taiwan-China current status/relations. Don't get mesmerised by these fools here who think Taiwan is not part of China. That's the biggest joke since 5000BC.

[Moonbright @ Jul 9th 2008 10:40PM]

Taiwan is one part of China!Ok!.

[Moonbright @ Jul 9th 2008 10:52PM]

And the US Uncle Sam say:" Oh,China is growing stronger,once I supported Dailai to sperate from China,for 'human right',for I belive the right of 'freedom',Containment China which the best way is split up the nation of China,the people of tibet and taiwan will love me 'forever',and this is in line with American interests.'Because Sam is the master of the world.'He thought!

[Moonbright @ Jul 9th 2008 10:56PM]

And the US Uncle Sam say:" Oh,China is growing stronger,once I supported Dailai to sperate from China,for 'human right',for I belive the right of 'freedom',Containment China which the best way is split up the nation of China,the people of tibet and taiwan will love me 'forever',and this is in line with American interests.'Because Sam is the master of the world.'He thought!

[Moonbright @ Jul 9th 2008 11:02PM]

And the US Uncle Sam say:" Oh,China is growing stronger,once I supported Dailai to sperate from China,for 'human right',for I belive the right of 'freedom',Containment China which the best way is split up the nation of China,the people of tibet and taiwan will love me 'forever',and this is in line with American interests.'Because Sam is the master of the world.'He thought!

[Decoy @ Jul 9th 2008 11:08PM]

I once heard a very important General say China wil grow larger.

[Moonbright @ Jul 10th 2008 12:57AM]

Oh,real?That's not a good news to US

[vrf @ Jul 9th 2008 12:48PM]

Taiwan is not the same thing as China.

[LCDY @ Jul 9th 2008 1:06PM]

I second this!!!!

Taiwan is (and never was) not a part of China!!

[Dan S. @ Jul 9th 2008 1:04PM]

Perhaps Engadget does not respect the Taiwan Relations Act, or it has a bone to pick with Beijing, maybe Paul Miller has his fingers crossed that Taipei will attempt independence during the Olympics, inciting an invasion by the PLA.... or, maybe it's advocating reunification through nuclear holocaust.

In 50 years, the world will look back on this tech blog post, to see what started WWIII.

[Paul Miller @ Jul 9th 2008 1:09PM]

Absolutely, nuclear holocaust.

This is a Hong Kong (aka part of China) version of the phone, the retailer is based in Taiwan.

[initialxy @ Jul 9th 2008 1:12PM]

if you did your reading, you should know that it's a hongkong version of iphone unboxed by a taiwan retailer called ePrice. so let's call it even shall we?

[initialxy @ Jul 9th 2008 1:17PM]

@LCDY,
"Taiwan is (and never was) not a part of China!!"

this is possibly one of the most contradictory statement i have read since PHIL145.
let's break it down, shall we?
"Taiwan is not a part of China!!",
"Taiwan never was not a part of China!!"

WTF?

[llren @ Jul 9th 2008 1:21PM]

Ha, then try it yourself to get TW independent to see if it works or not....Dont just YY on the computer......

[LCDY @ Jul 9th 2008 1:24PM]

my mistake...let me re-phrase my words again...

Taiwan was NEVER part of China...

Thanks for pointing it out...

[topspy_kimi @ Jul 9th 2008 1:29PM]

kiddo,China is a concept of all chinese included,you're not chinese ,aren't you? But maybe your president considers he is .Do you make any sence on this arguement?

[Toto168 @ Jul 9th 2008 1:31PM]

As I can see, the UI of the iPhone is in Traditional Chinese. This is definitely NOT a China's iPhone. The title of this article is misleading.

[dudness @ Jul 9th 2008 1:32PM]

urmmm.... read the description on the site. It's an iPhone meant for Hongkong, not Taiwan. Saying that this is an iPhone for China, though misleading, is correct.

[Toto168 @ Jul 9th 2008 1:43PM]

Good. Glad to see Hong Kong is actually encouraging people to use Traditional Chinese.

[joe23521 @ Jul 9th 2008 1:46PM]

It's one thing to personally believe that Taiwan IS not part of PRC, but saying that Taiwan has NEVER been a part of CHINA simply shows what an idiot you are.

[LCDY @ Jul 9th 2008 1:50PM]

One more correction...

Taiwan WAS a part of "pre-communist" China before...

but Taiwan was NEVER a part of the current "communist" China...

Please study some history...

Any btw...Taiwan's president said it himself that he's a Taiwanese...and die a Taiwanese...lol...

[LCDY @ Jul 9th 2008 1:52PM]

Bottomline...

Taiwan is Taiwan...China is China...

Although both share the same history (up till 1950's)...they are separate governmental bodies...this is the fact...

If Taiwan was a part of China...why oes Taiwan have it's own constitution and army? Do you see California or Alaska have their own armies and constitutions?

[KarlW @ Jul 9th 2008 1:53PM]

Taiwan did used to be part of China, back before the CCP took power (pre-1949). Back then, the Kuomintang (KMT/GMD depending on translation method) reclaimed it from the Japanese (it was Chinese during the Qing dynasty)

When the CCP took power, they fled to the island, and, to prevent Communism spreading, the US protected it. For ages, they didn't even recognise the mainland as being China.

Whilst the CCP has never had control of Taiwan, it was part of a unified China under the KMT. So you can't say it was 'never part of China'.

[George @ Jul 9th 2008 2:00PM]

@LCDY
California does have a constitution. I think every state has a consitution....and states do have a militia, the National Guard.

[qz @ Jul 9th 2008 2:10PM]

That's right, Taiwan is the Republic of China.

[dudness @ Jul 9th 2008 2:14PM]

Puerto Rico is Puerto Rico. The United States is the United States. And we'll nuke anyone who says Puerto Rico isn't part of the United States. Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, etc? Any takers?

[initialxy @ Jul 9th 2008 2:24PM]

hahahaha engadget changed the title just for this.

[r19578 @ Jul 9th 2008 2:34PM]

@dudness: dude, when you go to Taiwan, the visa issued by China won't work.

[Freakin Ijit @ Jul 9th 2008 2:32PM]

Exsqueeeeeeze me!

Taiwan is not part of China.

China is part of Taiwan.

Get it right.

[繁體中文 @ Jul 9th 2008 2:38PM]

@Engadget:
Hong Kong also uses Traditional Chinese :)

@vrf:
taiwan is a breakaway region OF CHINA, and has its own constitution/government. this FACT is recognised by the UN. don't argue. Go read articles on Wikipedia if you don't know history. Saying Taiwan is never part of China is an absolute joke.

@James Cameron:
Every time someone mentions Taiwan and China in the same sentence there's bound to be an explosion. Gosh, they just can't stop...

@dudeness:
You should run for president of the US, even though I would like to see Barack win.

@everyone else confused:
Engadget is not confusing nor misleading readers by pointing out that this iPhone is "China's iPhone 3G" -- this is Hong Kong and HK is China's S.A.R. therefore it is not incorrect.

[Barton @ Jul 9th 2008 8:47PM]

Exactly... Taiwan is a province of China while China (I take it you mean the PRC) is a nation. Taiwan is a little tiny island province, while China is a much bigger internationally recognized nation (that is also not an island). Taiwan is attempting to break away from China.

BTW engadget pls change article to say that Trad. Chinese is HK's and Taiwan's language of choice... it's a tiny bit confusing.

[Sirius @ Jul 10th 2008 1:18AM]

Given that I was born in Taiwan, and has read up Wikipedia beforehand... here is my personal interpretation of this Taiwan-China business.

China during the Qing dynasty renounces its authority over Formosa (Taiwan).
Japan invades Taiwan.
Republic of China takes over what is now mainland China after the Qing dynasty ends.
Communists overthrew the KMT party and they escaped to Taiwan.
Communists "rename" the ROC to People's Republic of China, though wasn't recognised as a legitimate government for a while.
The ROC based in Taiwan continued to govern (and *founded*, along with other nations, the UN).
WWII ends and Japan surrenders Taiwan.
The ROC started to lose recognition globally due to increased pressure from the PRC, eventually losing their place in the UN.
PRC gets on the security council of the UN and pretty much bullies Taiwan around, vetoing whenever Taiwan applies for UN membership (oh the irony... a founding member that can't get membership...)
Here we are today, a state with limited global recognition.

Yea, the Taiwanese history is complicated, with weird politics and changing authority (sometimes two authorities fighting over it at the same time). Yet one part is clear - Wikipedia says: "Taiwan is also currently claimed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) as a PRC province, though the government of the PRC has never controlled Taiwan island or any of the current ROC territory commonly referred to as "Taiwan"."

So if anything, ROC (Taiwan) should claim that the PRC is part of *them*, not the other way around.

Of course.. this all depends on if the PRC government is even legitimate since they took power during the Chinese Civil War (which technically never ended).

Concluding, IMO, it'd be great if the PRC and Taiwan relation wasn't so strained, but I would rather keep the status quo than to admit that Taiwan was part of the PRC.

[Tim @ Jul 10th 2008 1:59AM]

I grew up in Taiwan, the food is great!

[Idlemind @ Jul 9th 2008 12:49PM]

who chose to put it on a piano?

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Jul 9th 2008 12:50PM]

Pretty soon, everyone and their grandmother will be posting their experiences unboxing the iPhone 3G.

[TVGenius @ Jul 9th 2008 1:46PM]

Will we be getting city-by-city unboxings on Friday, or have to settle for state-by-state? Or one for each Apple Store and AT&T Store? Sounds like I picked the right weekend to spend in the woods.

[FlamingGhost @ Jul 9th 2008 5:12PM]

has no-one reilised that the iphone will start selling everywhere at the same time.. so everyone will get it at the same time despite where you live??

apart from 02 uk is going to start selling it at 8am instead of the 1pm time it has been given from apple, so the uk will get it first?? =D

[Brian @ Jul 9th 2008 12:51PM]

This was a waste of my time and everyone else's.

[CraigJ @ Jul 9th 2008 1:00PM]

yeah, pretty much. iPod functionality with Chinese characters. Woot!

[hp540 @ Jul 9th 2008 12:52PM]

Get your geopolitics right Engadget.

China is not the same as Taiwan

[Eric @ Jul 9th 2008 12:54PM]

I'm sure China would beg to differ.

[fred @ Jul 9th 2008 12:58PM]

As long as they keep a grip on Tibet, the PRC can go Beijing themselves about Taiwan.

[LCDY @ Jul 9th 2008 1:09PM]

I would give a rats @$$ about what beijing govt thinks...

[dudness @ Jul 9th 2008 1:43PM]

Why would they put fortune cookies? Fortune cookie is not a traditional Chinese thing. It's a Californian thing. There isn't even a proper Chinese phrase for it. Maybe if Apple has as much understanding of the outside world as our president, they would put fortune cookies... I had hoped that they are a little more intelligent than that.

[Brian @ Jul 9th 2008 12:54PM]

its also a fake because if you look at the picture under the words "Back in Plastic" It says 16GB. As everyone knows the white one is the only one in the 16GB flavor

[OGHowie @ Jul 9th 2008 12:56PM]

Are you serious?

[LCDY @ Jul 9th 2008 1:09PM]

White only comes in 16GB..

But 16GB has both Black and White versions...

Please get ur mind clear...