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iPhone 5 swings through first round of Chinese approvals, may already have China Telecom onboard
Wireless device certifications can sometimes give away a little more of a company's game plan than intended. Case in point: a China Compulsory Certification for the iPhone 5. The expected A1429 variant has been given initial clearance on its way to China Unicom, but there's also a previously unseen, CDMA2000-based A1442 iPhone with a similar rubber stamp. With the iPhone 4S already on the market for a CDMA-only China Telecom, it doesn't take much to suggest that the A1442 represents Apple's taller, faster smartphone already prepared for the same carrier. Neither edition of the iPhone 5 is imminent without the equally important network and radio clearances. Getting the ball rolling on multiple variants so soon after the initial launch, however, raises the chance that we'll see the iPhone 5 on more than one Chinese provider faster than the iPhone 4S took to arrive the last time around.
Mainland China, Taiwan send first data over direct fiber optic link, take steps towards peace and harmony
Relations between mainland China and Taiwan haven't always been what you'd call warm, even with many companies having a footprint in both regions. Consider the first bursts of network traffic from a newly active connection as olive branches: a pair of undersea fiber optic cables running between southern China's Xiamen and the Taiwan-claimed Kinmen island chain represent the first truly direct data link between the two sides. Built by China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom and Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom, the link both has its share of diplomatic symbolism as well as the very practical advantage of a faster, more reliable route -- there's no globetrotting required to get data and voice to their destinations, and there's fewer chances of blackouts if a boat inadvertently slices a cable. We wouldn't go so far as to call it a Happily Ever After for either faction after decades of tension, but it does at least provide a greater semblance of normalcy to their communication. [Image credit: Aine Hickey, Wikitravel]
Xiaomi Phone 2 now official: 4.3-inch 720p IPS, quad core and Jelly Bean for just $310
At last, no more secrets. Announced in Beijing just now is the Xiaomi Phone 2, and with the exception of the appearance, most of the specs match the many leaks we've come across: 4.3-inch 720p IPS display by Sharp and JDI, Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 quad-core chip, 2GB RAM and 16GB memory. To power this beast, Xiaomi's throwing in a 2,000mAh cell, but you can also purchase a 3,000mAh version if you don't mind the extra 2mm thickness on the phone. As for photography, you get a 28mm two-megapixel imager at the front along with a 27mm F2.0 eight-megapixel BSI camera on the back -- we saw some stunning untouched shots from the latter at the launch event. The good news doesn't stop there. On the software front Xiaomi's decided to jump straight to Android Jelly Bean for the phone's MIUI ROM, which itself packs several new features as well. Just to name a few: enhanced security, phone finder, Chinese voice assistant (apparently with 85 percent comprehension accuracy), more interactive themes and 5GB of cloud storage service with online client. As you can already see, all of this will cost just ¥1,999 (about $310) -- the same as the original Xiaomi Phone announced this time last year -- when it launches in October, and local carriers China Unicom plus China Telecom will also be offering the DC-HSPA+ handset at subsidized prices. Interestingly, Xiaomi co-founder Lei Jun even admitted on the stage that the phone's raw cost is ¥2,350 ($370) per unit, so hopefully it'll go down sooner than later for his sake. But if ¥1,999 is still too much, there's also the ¥1,499 ($235) Xiaomi Phone 1S which, as we've already seen, is very much just the original Xiaomi but bumped up from 1.5GHz to 1.7GHz, along with a front-facing camera. Until we get hold of the phones to play with, here are some photos from the event. Update: Now we have some photos from our very brief hands-on -- each person was only given 90 seconds with the beta units! That said, the Xiaomi Phone 2s already felt pretty solid and the UI animation was slick, so we look forward to the more refined engineering samples next month. Update 2: Forgot to mention that both devices support WCDMA 850、1900 and 2100MHz. So yes, it'll work just fine on AT&T! %Gallery-162591% %Gallery-162598% %Gallery-162599%
Sony LT25i Tsubasa pops up in benchmarks, may swell the high-speed Xperia ranks
Add another future Sony Xperia model to a rapidly growing pool. The LT25i Tsubasa (not to be confused with the ST25i/Xperia U) has been caught by Tencent in AnTuTu and NenaMark2 tests, seemingly running the same mix of a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4, a 720p screen and Android 4.0 that we've seen in the upcoming Xperia T (LT30p). So what's different? There's rumors of in-cell touch to keep the display thin and vivid, but even the unverified source isn't certain that it will become a reality. The crew at Xperia Blog also claims that there will be international LTE and HSPA+ models along with China- and Japan-specific editions. Assuming the details are at all consistent with the truth, having the Tsubasa arrive on the scene mostly hints that Sony might be readying a broader speed-up of its roster than we first thought.
Next-gen Xiaomi Phone outed by certifications ahead of launch, will again come in three variants (updated)
Having seen the next-gen Xiaomi Phone's more colorful yet rejected designs, we're rather baffled by these dull-looking certification images of the real deal. According to a filing from the good old TENAA, this new device from Xiaomi goes by the codename "2012051" and packs WCDMA radio, but that's pretty much it in terms of specs. Eagle-eyed readers may have already spotted the striking resemblance to the original Xiaomi Phone (aka MI-One Plus), but it appears to be getting an extra front-facing camera and, for some reason, a smaller speaker grill on the back. But wait, there's more! We dug up two additional models in the China Compulsory Certificate database: there's the "2012052" also with WCDMA radio, plus the "2012053" with CDMA2000/WCDMA dual radio. Bearing in mind that the current Xiaomi Phone has three variants, our guess is that its successor will follow a similar pattern: the WCDMA flavor may again have a 1.5GHz version followed by a slower and cheaper version (much like what the Youth Edition aka MI-One is to the MI-One Plus); and depending on Xiaomi's arrangements with China Unicom and China Telecom, the CDMA flavor for the latter may or may not be launched alongside its WCDMA cousin. Let's hope for the best when this alleged quad-core phone gets announced next Thursday. Update: Another possibility is that the design pictured above only applies to the lower-end model, which may just pack a dual-core chip (hopefully a Snapdragon S4). We shall see.
ZTE Grand X (U970 and N970) and Grand X LTE (T82) hands-on
You may recall that ZTE unveiled its Snapdragon MSM8960-powered Grand X LTE handset (pictured right) just a few days ago, but as it turns out, the original Mimosa X design is still very much alive under that new Grand X moniker, and we were able to play with both Android 4.0 devices at Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai. In fact, there were three models in total, as the Grand X comes in two flavors in China: the U970 for China Mobile comes with 1.2GHz Tegra 2 (yes, Tegra 2), TD-SCDMA radio, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage and a five-megapixel camera; while the identical-looking N970 for China Telecom packs a 1.5GHz MSM8660A, CDMA2000 radio, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, microSD expansion and an eight-megapixel camera. With all the phones attached to various cords we weren't able to get a good sense of their ergonomics, but they were all surprisingly light. In terms of build quality ZTE didn't disappoint, either (at least the casing is certainly a big step up from the Skate), and their 4.3-inch qHD LCDs looked good as well. Oh, and the vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich build flashed onto these devices ran smoothly during our brief hands-on, so hopefully they'll stay that way in the hands of buyers. Help yourself to our photos below. %Gallery-158837% %Gallery-158836%
Samsung announces GT-B9120 for Android flip phone fans in China
The emergence of Android, and the decline of the flip-phone form factor happened as such, that the two aren't all that well acquainted. Samsung, however, wants to firm-up that relationship, bringing the two together once more. The GT-B9120 is the result. A flip phone with Google's Gingerbread operating system from the Galaxy-maker, headed for the Chinese market. There's dual 3.5-inch 480 x 800 screens, and a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8260 doing the business. A 5-megapixel camera will send photos off to the 16GB internal storage, and HSPA, WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth make up the wireless options. Somewhere someone's dream has just been answered, we just hope that person is in China.
Samsung Galaxy S III coming to China on June 9th, all 'big three' carriers get in on the fun
When Sammy said it was taking the Galaxy S III around the world, it really, really meant it. Having already launched in the UK, and with the US soon to follow, Samsung's newest flagship is now ready to debut across China. As expected, all three major carriers will be involved in the June 9th launch, which, of course, includes China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom. There's no word on pricing yet, but for the sake of your sanity, we hope the telcos won't ask for one too many yuans in exchange for that "human-centric" experience.
Motorola shows three all-touch Android 4.0 phones in China, we see a possible Verizon model
It turns out that Motorola didn't want to wait until the Google deal closed -- or, for that matter, an American launch -- to undertake a significant revamp of its phone line. A quiet Chinese event last week is now known to have brought us three RAZR-derived, all-touch phones for the three carriers in the Asian country: the XT885 for China Unicom (pictured at left), XT889 for China Telecom (center) and MT887 for China Mobile (right). Other than the network types and pretty bits, you're mostly looking at the same device, where the highlight is an official dip into Android 4.0 waters that drops the physical navigation in favor of more Nexusish on-screen keys. Don't expect a revolution in performance over last fall's roster given that they still have 1.2GHz dual-core processors, eight-megapixel rear cameras and 4.3-inch, 540 x 960 displays. The trio arrives in China on June 2nd; Motorola is likely more worried about popping champagne than giving out US launch details right now, but earlier leaks give us a strong hunch that the MT887 could hit Verizon as the uncannily similar (if still very unofficial) Droid Fighter before too long.
China Telecom launches iPhone promo to boost corporate sales
China Telecom posted disappointing quarterly earnings for Q1 2012 and is turning to the iPhone to help it turn things around. According to Hong Kong's The Standard, the wireless carrier is launching an iPhone promotion to encourage businesses to sign up with China Telecom. Any business that buys 10 iPhone 4S handsets together with a wireless service plan will get a free iPhone. According to a company spokesperson, the carrier is targeting enterprise customers who are outfitting their employees with the latest technology.
Nokia unveils the Lumia 800 in China, calls it the 800C
So if you live out in China, and were counting down the days until you could get your hands on a legit Lumia 800 (or the 610), you're almost there. Nokia's slab of Windows Phone, renamed the 800C was unveiled by China Telecom today as we'd heard, and will launch in stores fully next month. There'll be 20,000 apps available in the Marketplace when it does finally ship, which should be enough to keep you going. Color-wise there'll be cyan and black options, setting you back 3599 RMB sans contract. Head down to the official PR for the company pomp.
Tim Cook visits Apple Store in Beijing
According to TechNode, Tim Cook spent his Monday morning with the employees and customers at the Xidan Joy City Apple Store in Beijing. The random spotting, recorded by user STwing of Chinese micro-blogging service Sina Weibo, kicked off rumors that the Apple CEO was in town to talk about the next generation iPhone with local carriers China Unicom and China Telecom. [Via AppleInsider]
Stephen Elop: Nokia Lumia coming to China on March 28th
China recently greeted its first Windows Phone (on pre-order, anyway), but if Stephen Elop has his way, Nokia will be hot on HTC's heels. The company's CEO has revealed that Nokia will unleash its Lumia handsets upon the People's Republic on March 28th. While Elop offered no clues to suggest which models will be available, recent regulatory approvals hint that the Lumia 800 and 710 are both top candidates -- though personally, we'd be shocked if the Lumia 610 didn't rear its head sooner rather than later. Both China Telecom and China Unicom are said to be partners with Nokia, which is undoubtedly eager to offer something other than Symbian to its Chinese fan base.
iPhone 4S launches on China Telecom to 200,000 pre-orders
China Telecom started selling the iPhone 4S today and became the second Chinese wireless carrier to offer the Apple smartphone. According to a M.I.C. Gadget report, China Telecom processed 200,000 pre-orders in seven days, with the highest number of orders coming from Beijing (10,000) and Shanghai (20,000). At a launch ceremony, the wireless carrier said demand for the Apple smartphone was greater than expected. The phone officially went on sale in over 2,800 China Telecom retail stores and third-party retailers today, March 9.
China Mobile claims 15 million iPhone subscribers without selling Apple's handset
China Mobile may be the world's largest telco with 655 million subscribers, but it's missing one major ingredient that any top tier carrier needs -- the iPhone. Apple's exclusivity deal with China Unicom is about to come to an end and China Telecom is going to start selling the 4S next week. Yet, China Mobile, the state owned behemoth, won't be joining the iOS fray officially until it starts shipping with an LTE radio (which we assume will happen next year). Still, according to the company, it has managed to rack up 15 million subscribers using unlocked iPhones on its 2G network. Perhaps most amazing, is that it was only in October that China Mobile announced it had 10 million subscribers using Apple's pride and joy. We can only imagine the pandemonium that will break out when the world's most popular phone comes to the planet's largest cellular carrier.
HTC to launch "Dragon" series smartphone in mainland China, expand to international markets in the future
HTC may have just announced its highfalutin One family of smartphones in Barcelona, but it's still the year of the Dragon back home -- and the Taiwanese outfit has the slabs to prove it. Meet the "Dragon" series, a trio of 4-inch Android handsets, each sporting a 5 megapixel camera, a 1GHz single-core processor and Beats Audio, all wrapped up in an Ice Cream Sandwich slathered in Sense 4.0A. Although the Dragon series seems a bit like the HTC One V -- albeit with a larger screen -- the outfit says it won't be packing the HTC ImageChip that hopes to give the One series' cameras a wicked performance boost. Sadly, the "Dragon" moniker is a temporary handle, and the three phones are only coming to mainland China. HTC says there are plans to expand the family in the future for international distribution, but for now the handsets are only coming to China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile.
iPhone 4S arrives for China Telecom on March 9th
After months of ads enticing China Telecom subscribers with views of the iPhone 4S, the huge Chinese wireless carrier has announced that it will begin sales of the newest iPhone on March 9, 2012. The company will begin taking reservations for the iPhone 4S on March 2 in anticipation of the rollout a week later. China Telecom is the second largest carrier in China, and uses a CDMA network as opposed to the GSM network run by market leader China Unicom (which has been selling the iPhone 4S since January). The iPhone 4S is the first iPhone that can run on both networks without requiring separate models. As part of China Telecom's rollout, the carrier will be offering the 16 GB iPhone 4S for free with a 2 year contract. According to a tweet from Asymco analyst Horace Dediu, China Unicom currently has 37 million 3G customers, with China Telecom adding another 33 million 3G users. That's a huge potential iPhone 4S market for Apple, and one that the company is eager to tap. During last week's Goldman Sachs technology conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook made repeated references to the vast Chinese market and how the company is making that market a key target for its growth strategy in the future. [via MacStories]
China Telecom to get the iPhone 4S, stores brace themselves for March 9th chaos
The last time the iPhone dallied into eager Chinese hands there was more than a spot of bother. Hopefully, China Telecom's announcement that it'll be getting the 4S on March 9th will give retail stores enough time to prepare. It'll be up for pre-order online from March 2nd, starting from free on contract, and available in the usual 16GB, 32GB and 64GB varieties. The news came via the China Telecom website yesterday, with CEO Wang Xiaochu confirming in a press release this morning (Chinese time). So if Nokia thought it would have the network's biggest release in March, it might have to think again.
Nokia Lumia 800's CDMA cousin coming to China Telecom in March?
An employee of the Qingzhou branch of China Telecom went a bit camera-happy over the weekend, but we'd do the same if we were handed a CDMA Nokia Lumia 800. The since-pulled images and text confirmed our feeling that it's arriving in early Spring (i.e "March"). The tipster revealed to WMPoweruser that both the 800 and 710 would arrive at the same time, potentially joined by the 900 in April -- and that all three handsets would be available in black, cyan and white, as well as coming preloaded with Tango as standard. We'll take the latter claims with a pinch of salt until we see 'em, okay? As you were, China.
China Telecom to start selling the iPhone 4S before March
According to a report in China Daily, China Telecom may become the second Chinese wireless carrier to carry the iPhone 4S. The carrier reportedly released a press release on Tuesday with the big news. "China Telecom has already started preparatory work for the launch of the iPhone 4S," says the press release. The CDMA carrier has the three operating licenses it needs from the government and could start selling the iPhone 4S as early as February. The Chinese government granted the final permit, which recognizes the device as qualified, on Monday says the website of the China Compulsory Certification Online Service Center. The other two permits were granted earlier in January. This report shouldn't come as a surprise to those watching Apple closely. Several times last year analysts and Asian newspapers claimed the carrier is negotiating with Apple to get the iPhone on its network. The Cupertino company also views China as its next big market and hinted during its last earnings conference call that it would expand to another carrier soon. [Via 9to5Mac]
