Remember how
last week China Unicom brazenly threw up product images for the iPhone and a few other smartphones, implying that in the very near future it would be providing service to them? Well, funny story: turns out the company's chairman, Chang Xiaobing, is now saying negotiations are actually
still ongoing with Apple and that the two have a good bit of wheeling and dealing left to do. What could they possibly still be discussing? According to
Barron's, the debates focus on two primary issues: a Chinese law banning WiFi use in mobile phones; and Unicom's insistence on installing its own software on the iPhone, including some sort of
*gasp* non-iTunes media player. How long now until these issues are resolved?
Barron's is citing research firm Wedge Partners, who indicates it may not be until the end of the year. Better stick with those gray-market imports, folks.
Read -- Negotiations still under way
Read -- Barron's
posted Mar 31st 2009 6:59AM
I wonder if Apple is confirmed as China's iPhone provider.
LOL - good one Wrex
Considering all the goddamned KIRF's they got over there.
Thing is, Chinese people will actually refuse to buy the KIRFs so they can flaunt the real thing. I just hope they end up having to abide by the same bullshit buyer requirements we have here cause otherwise, I'd feel cheated.
Chinese people will actually refuse to buy the KIRFs so they can flaunt the real thing.
[Citation Needed]
Sorry last time I was in my local Chinatown the MO was to make the KIRFs as real looking as possible so you and pretend to "flaunt" the real thing and still not buy it.
I wonder if china is confirmed as iphone's apple provider.
I guess if the deal falls through China can rely on the dozen-or-so iPhone knock-offs we keep seeing in the "Keeping it Real Fake" posts in Engadget. DaXian X999 or GiPhone anybody?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/20/keeping-it-real-fake-part-cxii-is-the-daxian-x999-the-ultimate/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/24/keepin-it-real-fake-part-clxxxv-the-world-renowned-giphone-f5/
No matter how big a market China is, Apple isn't going to let them out of the iTunes loop. Neither the courts or hackers can do that.
Is it possible to offer the iPhone on BOTH carriers -- like in europe and australia?
and the WiFi is still such a big issue for phones... but there's wifi on itouches so they probably think that when you make calls over wifi, e.g. skype the government can't listen *cough* spy on what you're saying lol
Hmm, some Chinese KIRFs have WiFi. I guess Unicom has to follow the rules but the little guys can get away with whatever they want...copyright violation is just the tip of the iceberg.
Well, crap. I need more coffee; I read the headline as 'China Unicorn still not confirmed as Chinese iPhone provider'
Those incessancy Chinese iPhone's news is pretty annoying.
I HATE chinese telecom companys.