iPhone to Launch in China on October 15th?

[MacRumors]

Unwired View reports on news from China Business Times [Google translation] that China Unicom is internally targeting a launch date of October 15th for the iPhone. Pricing will reportedly be set at 1,999 yuan (US$293) for the 8 GB model and 2,999 yuan (US$439) for the 16 GB model. Both models will require two-year contracts with pricing beginning at 186 yuan (US$27) per month.

We still don’t have anything official about the iPhone’s launch over there, but as China Unicom is preparing to ship the device, the info about it started trickling out from the regional offices and sales channels.

According to China Business Times, China Unicom has set an internal iPhone launch date for October 15th. Two iPhone models – 8GB and 16 GB – will be shipped. 8GB iPhone in China will cost 1999 yuan ($293), with 16GB model selling at 2999 yuan ($439). Both models with be offered on a 2 year contracts, starting at 186 yuan ($27) a month.

China Unicom announced in late August that it had struck a three-year deal to bring the iPhone to China. At the time, the company said only that it was looking to launch the iPhone by the end of 2009.

Article Link: iPhone to Launch in China on October 15th?

 

[idannyb]

iPhone Oct launch in China

On Sept 21 163.com quoted China Unicom Vice President Zhu Lijun as stating that iPhone in China will launch towards the end of October.

Two models - A1324 (based on iPhone 3G) and A1325 (based on iPhone 3GS)
It is my guess that at least one, if not both, of the iPhones for China will come with the WAPI/WiFi stack, thereby providing users with access to WiFi.

The other news ... According to a report on China’s DoNews (via JLM Pacific Epoch), Apple will retain control of the App Store for the iPhone for China.
“Apple will not hand operation of its APP Store to China Unicom, according to Apple Global Research and Development Department Director Guillermo Ortiz during a visit to China.”

Background >
http://iphonasia.com/?p=6816
http://iphonasia.com/?p=6764

 

[SFStateStudent]

This is gonna' be huge for Apple and China. I'm worried about all the iPhonies....

 

[jian]

This is gonna' be huge for Apple and China. I'm worried about all the iPhonies....

These iPhones have no WiFi capacity, these authentic ones requires 2 year contract at 186Yuan per month, which is kinda ridicules for me. if you text and browse internet often, it will cost you more like 250~300Yuan, which is like 45 bucks? I know 27~45USD is really cheap here, but before I moved to the U.S. which was about 5 years ago, my daddy's phone bill was like only less than 100yuan, and he text often, too....average Chinese earn about 3k yuan...I don't really think they will spend that much on iPhone especially Apple in China is not even that big...but I could be wrong, because I know Chinese/most asians are really into cellphones.....I know a lot middle school kids and high school kids save their lunch money that their parents gave to them to buy a fancy phone...

 

[SeptemberMorn]

Cdma?

Does anyone know if the Chinese iPhones use CDMA?

 

[idannyb]

iPhone in China

@SeptemberMorn ... no the iPhone for China will not be CDMA ... It will run WCDMA (China Unicom's 3G network). China Telecom runs CDMA2000 3G, but they are negotiating with RIM for BlackBerry and Palm for the Pre. They are alos introducing CPhones customized to support their own services.

Apple will not likely build a CDMA iPhone (even for Verizon) but they may very well build a "gen 3" 4G LTE model that might be used on verizon's network. A variation of that model (TD LTE) might work for China Mobile circa 2012.

If deal terms and App Store issues can be resolved, I believe Apple will build a low-priced EDGE 2G model for China Mobile. That could be an early 2010 offering.

@jian ... You might want to hold off on the presumption that iPhone for China will not have WiFi. China Unicom is working feverishly behind the scenes to get the iPhone models for China (A1324 and A1325) approved for the WAPI/WiFi stack. Long story short ... I believe at least one, if not both, of the iPhones will be approved for the WAPI/WiFi stack.

Re affordability of iPhone in China ... Apple is not going after that majority of wireless consumers in China. Half of the phones sold in China are either bandit phones (Shanzhai ji) or from the grey-market. Most of those phones are under $60 USD. Apple will not soon (if ever) go after that segment of the market. iPhone buyers won't buy Shanzhai ji (you get what you pay for) ... and Shanzhai ji buyers won't (can't afford) buy iPhones.

There are 1.3 billion people in China ... 700 million own mobile phones. Of those 700 million, 290 million are middle-class with incomes ranging from 5,000 CNY to 15,000 CNY ($732 to $2,196 USD). These 290 million will be Apple's (and Apple's carrier partners') prime target. Chinese tend to save a relatively high share of their monthly take home pay. Rainy day savings can sometimes be spent on more expensive items, particularly if the product has status and is used every day … think iPhone.

If Apple closes a deal with China Mobile for a low-priced 2G (EDGE) iPhone, then Apple will capture a much larger share of the market.

 

[jian]

@SeptemberMorn ... no the iPhone for China will not be CDMA ... It will run WCDMA (China Unicom's 3G network). China Telecom runs CDMA2000 3G, but they are negotiating with RIM for BlackBerry and Palm for the Pre. They are alos introducing CPhones customized to support their own services.

Apple will not likely build a CDMA iPhone (even for Verizon) but they may very well build a "gen 3" 4G LTE model that might be used on verizon's network. A variation of that model (TD LTE) might work for China Mobile circa 2012.

If deal terms and App Store issues can be resolved, I believe Apple will build a low-priced EDGE 2G model for China Mobile. That could be an early 2010 offering.

@jian ... You might want to hold off on the presumption that iPhone for China will not have WiFi. China Unicom is working feverishly behind the scenes to get the iPhone models for China (A1324 and A1325) approved for the WAPI/WiFi stack. Long story short ... I believe at least one, if not both, of the iPhones will be approved for the WAPI/WiFi stack.

Re affordability of iPhone in China ... Apple is not going after that majority of wireless consumers in China. Half of the phones sold in China are either bandit phones (Shanzhai ji) or from the grey-market. Most of those phones are under $60 USD. Apple will not soon (if ever) go after that segment of the market. iPhone buyers won't buy Shanzhai ji (you get what you pay for) ... and Shanzhai ji buyers won't (can't afford) buy iPhones.

There are 1.3 billion people in China ... 700 million own mobile phones. Of those 700 million, 290 million are middle-class with incomes ranging from 5,000 CNY to 15,000 CNY ($732 to $2,196 USD). These 290 million will be Apple's (and Apple's carrier partners') prime target. Chinese tend to save a relatively high share of their monthly take home pay. Rainy day savings can sometimes be spent on more expensive items, particularly if the product has status and is used every day … think iPhone.

If Apple closes a deal with China Mobile for a low-priced 2G (EDGE) iPhone, then Apple will capture a much larger share of the market.

well, I dont really know anything about the affordability, Im just telling what I know, but for WiFi, I don't think it exist, although these grey market phone do have it, its illegal in China because the damn communist party wants to support something else which works exactly like Wifi, so iPhone in China might have something that works like Wifi, but not really wifi. if it doesnt make sense to you, it will be like gasoline and diesel, each has its own pro and con...

 

[idannyb]

Re "reports of no WiFi on iPhone"

The evidence is mounting that Apple and China Unicom are working together to have iPhone for China approved for the recently allowed WLAN authentication and privacy infrastructure (WAPI)/WiFi stack*. In late August, China Unicom CEO Chang Xiaobing stated that he was hopeful that iPhone models for China would soon be authorized to include WiFi (i.e. the WAPI/WiFi stack). More > http://iphonasia.com/?p=6764

Why was the WAPI/WiFi stack approved? Prior to May 2009, WiFi was forbidden on mobile phones. Chinese Netizens have largely ignored this ban as WiFi base-stations cover many urban zones and grey-market (”back of the shop”) WiFi-capable handsets are everywhere. The WiFi ban on officially sanctioned phones only added rocket fuel to the flourishing grey-market. Consequently, the MIIT had to make a concession to WiFi by allowing WAPI and WiFi to be stacked together on handsets. This King Solomon’s compromise allows both sides to win. China gets their WAPI standard (and royalty payments) and consumers can get WiFi.

* WLAN authentication and privacy infrastructure (WAPI) is China’s home grown version of WiFi. It performs essentially the same functions as WiFi yet royalties belong to China. More background on WiFi/WAPI:

http://iphonasia.com/?p=4609
http://iphonasia.com/?p=4431
http://iphonasia.com/?p=5728