Related News
Unicom in talks with Apple for launch of the iPhone 3G
CHINA Unicom, expected to start 3G services in May, is negotiating with Apple Inc to launch the iPhone 3G in Chinese mainland, and if an agreement is sealed it will probably be the first legal iPhone sold in the domestic market, sources said yesterday.
Though the iPhone hasn't been introduced in the mainland officially, several million smuggled iPhones are sold in the mainland.
"China Unicom is in talks with Apple, and people can buy the iPhone in May," said a source in China Unicom, who didn't want to be named.
China Unicom, the country's No. 2 mobile carrier behind China Mobile, is going to invest 100 billion yuan (US$14.7 billion) in its network this year, will start trial commercial use of 3G in April and officially launch it in May, based on the WCDMA, wideband code division multiple access, technology, industry sources said.
Of the three 3G technologies that will be available in the mainland this year, the iPhone 3G supports the WCDMA technology which is based on the GSM, global system for mobile communications, standard and is widely used globally. This means Apple and China Unicom are "natural partners," industry insiders said.
China Unicom and Apple China declined to comment on the issue.
China Mobile had talked with Apple to introduce the iPhone but the telco adopts the home-grown 3G technology, TD-SCDMA, time division-synchronous CDMA, which is not compatible with the iPhone 3G, media reported.
"It's not economical for Apple to design a new iPhone specifically for China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network, and there are risks to do so," said Sandy Shen, an analyst at Gartner Inc, a United States-based IT research firm.
Another problem is that China Mobile and Apple were divided on sharing profit and the business model of value-added services, analysts said. In overseas markets, Apple has installed its iTunes and App Store into the iPhone and directly provides music, video and software download services. But China Mobile aims to control the data services which are seen as a money spinner.
Though the iPhone hasn't been introduced in the mainland officially, several million smuggled iPhones are sold in the mainland.
"China Unicom is in talks with Apple, and people can buy the iPhone in May," said a source in China Unicom, who didn't want to be named.
China Unicom, the country's No. 2 mobile carrier behind China Mobile, is going to invest 100 billion yuan (US$14.7 billion) in its network this year, will start trial commercial use of 3G in April and officially launch it in May, based on the WCDMA, wideband code division multiple access, technology, industry sources said.
Of the three 3G technologies that will be available in the mainland this year, the iPhone 3G supports the WCDMA technology which is based on the GSM, global system for mobile communications, standard and is widely used globally. This means Apple and China Unicom are "natural partners," industry insiders said.
China Unicom and Apple China declined to comment on the issue.
China Mobile had talked with Apple to introduce the iPhone but the telco adopts the home-grown 3G technology, TD-SCDMA, time division-synchronous CDMA, which is not compatible with the iPhone 3G, media reported.
"It's not economical for Apple to design a new iPhone specifically for China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network, and there are risks to do so," said Sandy Shen, an analyst at Gartner Inc, a United States-based IT research firm.
Another problem is that China Mobile and Apple were divided on sharing profit and the business model of value-added services, analysts said. In overseas markets, Apple has installed its iTunes and App Store into the iPhone and directly provides music, video and software download services. But China Mobile aims to control the data services which are seen as a money spinner.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔$粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.