And now it's official: China Unicom has struck a 3-year
exclusive deal to finally bring the iPhone to China's massive subscriber-base potential. The carrier will offer two different "3G iPhones" to its 141 million subscribers and it will buy the phones wholesale from Apple -- no revenue sharing deal here kids. Neither Apple nor China Unicom will reveal specs on the phones (WiFi?) or pricing. So that's it, short and sweet after what feels like
years of rumors. But really, unless you live in China and subscribe to China Unicom what else is there to know?
Update: There was apparently an error in the
WSJ piece -- the deal is
not exclusive to China Unicom.
Read -- China Unicom announcement
Read -- More detail
posted August 28th 2009 4:32AM
It will be interesting to see if China will have demanded a phone with a reduced feature set. Like omitting the wifi...
It'll be more interesting to see how long until it's hacked, cracked and smacked so the Wifi is turned back on (if indeed it's a software disablement).
If not, I'm sure there will be a hack to get the non-official full-featured iPhones to work pretty with China Unicom :)
Ah, China. :P
Wifi is removed in a way that no one can find it back. I mean the modle is removed, not only the wifi disabled. but anyway, rumors...
Well, seeing as my original reply to MXY seems to have vanished...
Yeah, just rumour still. If it is removed, I can't see Apple removing any modules from the handset- they seem loath to produce any region-specific hardware. If it is software, then I'm sure a hack would be forthcoming. Still, I wouldn't like being caught doing anything nefarious by 'the man' in the PRC...
Still. This is all conjecture at this point
This is my gut feeling too. And it would play ideally into the Chinese mentality of how things work here i.e.
[good-government abiding mentality]
We have control, and no you can't have X,Y,Z
[actual capitalist business mentality]
Though there's a back door which you can exploit which we're not gonna do anything about because we REALLY want you to purchase our service / product. However, once every coupe of years we may need to stamp down our authority again, but it'll only be a short period of time until things are up and running as usual.
@ MXY
In China you'd probably get killed if you were found with WiFi on your phone. Wouldn't even be worth it
This should work out great for Apple since they are already have experience in exclusive deals with draconian network operators.
@mag42987
No. You'll be laughed in China if your smartphone doesn't have WiFi. One who doesn't buy a phone with Wifi from HongKong is a fool.
Wonder if the Chinese Great Dam software is approved as third party apps by Apple.
well i love China Unicorn.
You love things most cannot.
well i love mindless comments
...They are tasty.
That's what she said...
So do I because of HSDPA, but decidedly less so since it's so borkin' expensive now (seriously, almost US$3 per month for just 510 minutes, unlimited incoming, 20 videocall minutes, 60MB data, and about US$5 worth of free wallpaper/ringtones? Come on!)
(sorry, missed a 0, actually "almost US$30)
Damn. I've been stuck here in Korea for years with a phone that has only a superficial English menu. Also, the desktop software is only in Korean and not only that, the phone companies here use proprietory mp3 like software so you 'can't' play mp3's on phones.
When is the damn Iphone or Pre coming to Korea? Sheeeet, i'll even settle for a Nokia.
pretty much balanced now
they have the iphone in korea! big dummy! :P
Grass is always greener on the other side... I'd give a lot to be able to get most of what Korea has. And if you search carefully you'll find a solution to the MP3 issue.
Tom watch who you are calling dummy you ass. The iphone is not available in Korea. FACT. Get yer neb out of the bong for ten minutes and Google shit before you spout off.
Touchy, aren't we. You didn't ask if it was available from SKT or KTF, just if they had it.
But since I'm feeling nice, one more hint about the MP3 issue- Russia has the answers you're looking for; the words you need are "Melon Player".
Jams I was touchy about Tom. I'm always polite on forums but i hate it when people are rude so i go balistic.
iphone is not available on any provider here in Korea. Also, the melon player comes with the phones you buy and they are contracted to block any old mp3.
Could the same not be said about the countless mobile devices released this side of the world and not over state-side??
I mentioned this to you guys as a tip a couple of weeks back...
http://www.utilitycomputing.com.cn/?p=321
PS @James - you need to go back to school or at least finish it. Idiot.
I think the chinese will stick with all their iphone copies :P
Just a FYI, there are over a million iphones running on China Unicom's network right now. All imports that people paid $500+ to own.
It'll sell ok but I don't see it being a huge success.
It'll obviously depend on price, but more significantly, features. Smartphones are huge here, and as I've said in previous posts, they're a major status symbol.
It'll be interesting how it compares to the Meizu sales - I seem to see one more person with the M8 (Mini One) on a daily basis. they're definitely growing in popularity (at least with those commuting on the metro system :) )
It's going to be a very interesting end to the year, and some very interesting opportunities for Chinese-based / targeting iPhone App development
They'll be a status symbol
I agree. However I think the iPhone is about to lose its crown as the must have phone.
The cellphone industry is fickle and with the Sense UI Android phones coming through along with Nokia's downward pressure on smartphone costs Apple need to give some thought to how the platform progresses.
Half of the girls in our office have one - as well as their own MacBooks now (that they put windows on) - because it "Looks Pretty".
Cashed up Chinese middle class have on an equal comparison basis much more disposable income that many people around the world. And there are A LOT of super rich Chinese too. In the millions.
I don't doubt it, Richard. The same girls would have bought a RAZR or N95 at the time as well.
Like I said, it's a fickle market.
iPhone sales number for Q4 is going to be explosive! AAPL heading to $250!
Is that you Warren Buffett? You do realize that the launch in China has been a given for a while and has long been baked in the stock price. Unfortunately for Apple, they are stuck with the smaller telecom provider in China while it looks like Pre will be working with the big boy.
Apple will see $100 before it sees $250. But please, keep on buying, I need someone on the other side of my shorts (so to speak).
I wonder how it'll work with the AppStore. Apple are pretty draconian when it comes to the store, but any mobile carrier would be even more so (especially in China!). Not to mention the thousands of cruddy branded subscription apps and locked features we'd see.
I want my phone's software controlled by a software company, not my utility provider.
There might be a separate App Store. I'd bet PROBABLY be a second App Store.
Actually the phone companies here are much better than the ones in the US and Australia... people really need to actually understand China before automatically making links in logic that were better suited for the 1980's.
I got a call the other day to ask me how I liked the service - in good English too - I let her know that the only complaint I have is the SMS spam that is getting out of control.
It sounds like a free app store will be there soon.
Nubs? I realise that the Chinese aren't renown as being the tallest race on the planet but describing them as "small protuberances" is a little insulting. Perhaps you should go away until you learn how to be civil.
All this will do is drive the price of normal iPhone 3G up in Hong Kong. Yeah, thanks a lot China Unicom!
I may get an iPhone too as well - but I will get mine from HK so I can have WIFI. With the HK$ so weak against the RMB it may be cheaper still...
Still, we're already a lot better off than the States. Assuming a rough $8HKD/USD conversion rate, the 16GB 3GS is free on a $50/month unlimited data contract including voice. In the States, we're looking at $200 for the phone plus $40 just for data, plus $30 for 450 minutes of voice (unless you use a family plan).
I am a Chinese college student living in Canton,China, using a 2G iPhone bought at ebay. A few of my friends love all the apple's stuff, and they all bought iphone during 2007~2008. So I don't think the the China Unicom's iPhone will be hot in the Chinese Market. Because the core users who really love iPhone have bought it at ebay, or Taobao (A chinese ebay-like website)....and i think nobody like the iphone without WIFI.
PS: The Chinese goverment thinks the WIFI standard is not secure at all,and is easily hacked into. so they brought out a "Chinese standard WIFI" called WAPI, and set up a rule that cell phones with Wifi are not allowed to sell in China. However, many Chinese bought the US version cellphones, and you can find the WIFI hot spots everywhere in some big cities. In a word, the Chinese WAPI standard is nothing but shit.
WAPI died before it was born. It came out at the same time as the original Centrino from Intel was shipping and Intel just said they would not sell all Centrino products in China - as well as other complaints. And WAPI died as quick as it came - just like Green Dam.
Many people WILL get an iPhone this way as they can get it free or subsidised on contract. An iPhone now costs about 150% of the US price with the black market surcharge. There is a risk of breaking and no after sales support or help. For a MAJOR investment for some people, to be able to get it with warranty, repairs and aftersales support, as well as subsidised is a good deal.
My mobile bill is about 1,300 RMB per month. The largest contract on offer is 500 RMB per month and that entitles one to a 1K USD phone for FREE. I would expect people that sign up for the 500RMB plans to get a free basic iPhone and people with lower plans (2-300 RMB) would be happy to pay the 1000 RMB out of pocket.
Not to mention too - that many of the phone companies do deals with banks where people can pay a certain amount now for the phone and then GET THE MONEY back in 1 year at the end of the contract. I do this all the time. I get the phone that requires the up front 1000 RMB extra payment - pay it into the special bank account and then at the end of a year and I go and get it back.
Not sure why they do this - maybe a way to raise liquidity between bank and telco.
Point is - they will fly off the shelves.
No, they just can't sell WiFi-enabled phones without WAPI too. See the Motorola A3100.
And @Richard Ford- Nope, the largest contract available is 1686RMB (top-tier Unicom 3G plan). And how much do you TALK to get a bill that high? Are you on the phone 24/7 or something?
Ah I only know the CMCC ones..... yup lots of calls and international....price of business is sore tonsils.
You're a shill. That is not the reason why China demanded their own addition to WiFi devices sold in China.
Did you really get all the way to college without figuring out the way the world works?
You might want to think about going with China Telecom instead then. They have an "international pack" which gets you 120 minutes to North America and parts of Europe for less than 50RMB, I think. But you'd have to switch phones since they're CDMA.