Category Archives: china unicom

Apple’s $330 ‘iPhone Mini’ Could Launch As Early As This Summer [Analyst]

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Apple could launch its $330 “iPhone mini” as early as this summer to boost the company’s smartphone sales in China, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty. It’s expected the low-cost device could provide Apple with an additional 20% of the smartphone market, adding to the 10% it has already claimed with the iPhone 5. And with smartphone prices now beginning to stabilize in China, now would be an ideal time for such a device.

However, Huberty believes a deal with China Mobile is key to Apple’s success. The iPhone is already available through China Unicom and China Telecom, but Apple is yet to strike a deal with China Mobile, which is the world’s largest carrier with over 800 million subscribers. Given that deep subscriber base, the deal could be a massive avenue of growth for the iPhone.

“We believe Apple could launch iPhone Mini at $330 (about Rmb 2,000), in-line with flagship products in China from Lenovo, Huawei, ZTE, and Coolpad,” Huberty said in an investors note on Tuesday. ”Even in a scenario of low 40 percent gross margin and 1/3 iPhone cannibalization rate (flattening legacy iPhone shipment growth), which we view as conservative, the iPhone Mini adds incremental revenue and gross profit dollars.”

$330 would be the unlocked price for the so-called iPhone mini in China, according to Huberty, which means it could be even cheaper on contract. It’s also expected to target emerging markets beyond China, but it’s unclear whether it would be available in markets like the U.S. and Europe, where Apple enjoys a lot of success with the existing iPhone.

Rumors surrounding a low-cost iPhone gained traction back in January, when both The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg reported that the device would launch before the end of 2013. It’s also been a big talking point for analysts, who believe Apple needs to launch such a device to grow in key markets, and do battle with rivals like Samsung.

Via: CNET

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iPad Mini & 4th-Gen iPad With LTE Get Network Licenses For China

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Apple’s 4G-equipped iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad have taken a step closer towards a launch in China today after receiving their network licenses from Chinese telecommunications certification center TENAA. Like the iPhone 5, the tablets are expected to be available on the China Unicom and China Telecom networks.

The network licenses were discovered on TENAA’s website by Techweb, who matched up the iPad model numbers — A1460 and A1455 — with those on Apple’s website for the 4G iPad mini and 4G iPad with Retina display. It appears the licenses were granted last week.

The Wi-Fi-only version of the iPad mini and the fourth-generation iPad first made their debut in China on December 7 — a week before the iPhone 5. Apple hasn’t yet released sales figures for the slates, but the Cupertino company did reveal that it sold a record 2 million iPhone 5 units in just three days — contrary to the belief that Apple’s smartphone is losing its appeal there.

It’s unclear when Apple will bring its 4G-ready iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad to China now, but with the holidays right around the corner, it’s unlikely the launch will happen before the new year.

Source: Techweb

Via: The Next Web

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China Unicom Sees 100,000 iPhone 5 Pre-Orders On First Day

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Looks like the iPhone 5 will be popular in China, too.

China Unicom, China’s second-largest mobile carrier, began accepting iPhone 5 pre-orders on Monday ahead of the handset’s December 14 launch. And during the first day alone, it saw more than 100,000 orders placed online. Apple devices have become hugely popular in China, and it seems the iPhone 5 will be no exception.

China Unicom didn’t request any money from customers placing pre-orders, The Next Web reports. However, it did require an ID card and other personal information. The carrier reached 100,000 pre-orders by 4 p.m. local time on Monday, December 3.

In comparison, China Telecom, which only began selling the iPhone earlier this year, received 5,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 5 on Sunday. One of the reason its figures are so low in comparison to China Unicom’s is that the carrier has been taking pre-orders for several weeks — long before Apple announced the official release date for China.

Customers can also purchase the iPhone 5 directly from Apple. The Cupertino company will be selling the device through its online store, its retail stores, and through select Apple Authorized Resellers. In an effort to prevent scalpers from snapping up the device and then selling them on on the grey market, Apple requires that the device is reserved online the day before it’s collected in-store.

Shortly after it gets the iPhone 5, China will also be seeing the iPad mini, and the fourth generation iPad. Before then, however, the device will arrive in South Korea on December 7. It will then reach an additional 50 countries throughout the month, bringing its total reach to 97 markets by 2013.

Source: The Next Web

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China Unicom makes iPhone 5 available for pre-order, sees 100k orders on first day

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Josh Ong for The Next Web:

After Apple announced late last week that the iPhone 5 is coming to China on December 14, China Unicom, the country’s second-largest wireless operator, began taking reservations on Monday, quickly receiving 100,000 online pre-orders, Sina Tech reports….Meanwhile, China Telecom, which began selling Apple’s smartphone on its network earlier this year with the release of the iPhone 4S, reportedly received 5,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 5 on Sunday.

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iPhone 5 Clears Last Hurdle On Its Way To China – Just In Time For December Launch

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The iPhone 5 is on its way to China.

The iPhone 5 is expected to make its debut in China next month, and that’s looking increasingly likely now that the device has received its third and final license from China’s Telecommunications Equipment and Certification Center (TENAA).

The iPhone 5 had already received two certificates from Chinese regulators — in September and October — and the latest is the final piece of the puzzle. Apple can now sell its already hugely popular smartphone in one of the Cupertino company’s largest markets.

Apple has had two different iPhone 5 models approved for China: One of which has the “A1429″ model number and is compatible with China’s WCDMA 3G networks, while the other, model “A1442,” is compatible with CDMA-2000 3G networks.

The former is likely to be offered by China Unicom, which has more than 233 million subscribers; while the latter could be headed to China Telecom, which has more than 155 mobile subscribers. China Mobile, the world’s largest carrier which boasts more than 700 million subscribers, is still yet to offer the iPhone.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the company’s last quarterly earnings call that he expects the iPhone 5 to reach China by September. The company has typically launched its latest products there several months after they make their debut in the United States.

Via: Macworld

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iPhone 5 gains necessary network approval in China, readying for mid-December launch

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The iPhone 5 has gained the proper network verification from The Ministry of Industry and Technology of the People’s Republic of China today, finally readying it for sale in the country where the device is made. Following rumors earlier this month, Wall Street Journal first noted the news this morning, and such verification sets-up for the mid-December launch as pre-orders are already kicking. Apple has gained WCDMA and CDMA-2000 verification, according to the filings, lining it up to be on China Unicom and China Telecom — China’s second and third-largest carriers, respectively.

China has proved to be a big-potential for Apple, emphasized by CEO Tim Cook several times. Earlier this year he said, “demand is off the charts in China.” Sadly it appears the world’s largest carrier China Mobile isn’t on board this round.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Via: Engadget


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China Telecom Finalizes iPhone 5 Talks With Apple Ahead Of December Launch [Report]

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The iPhone 4S launched on China Telecom back in March.

China Telecom has reportedly finalized its talks with Apple over the iPhone 5 ahead of the smartphone’s debut in China in December. The carrier told reporters that its support for the iPhone 5 is now a “foregone conclusion,” while sources claim it will get the device at the same time as, or possibly even before than, China Unicom.

Both China Telecom and China Unicom are said to be testing the iPhone 5 already ahead of its launch, which Apple has confirmed will take place at the end of the December quarter.

The handset’s journey to China took a big step this week when China’s State Radio Management Agency granted it regulatory approval. Back in September, Apple was also granted the certificate it required to sell the iPhone 5 in China.

The Next Web reports that iPhone subsidies haven’t quite had the right impact on China Telecom’s profits just yet. It helped to contribute to a third-quarter profit drop from $649 million to $601 million year-on-year, despite a 16% increase in sales.

China’s largest carrier, China Mobile, is yet to get the iPhone. But with more than 655 million subscribers, it seems inevitable that Apple will strike a deal with the carrier before too long.

Source: Southern Metropolis Daily

Via: The Next Web

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Tim Cook Visits Beijing To Meet Chinese Officials, Pose With Fans

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Apple CEO Tim Cook poses with fan at the company's Xidan Joy City store in Beijing.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was in Beijing today, meeting Chinese officials as the Cupertino company eyes up further growth in China. It’s his first trip to the country since he took over from Steve Jobs as CEO, and he got himself noticed with a visit Apple’s Beijing store where he stopped to pose for photographs with fans.

Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that Cook “had great meetings with Chinese officials.”

“China is very important to us,” Wu continued, “and we look forward to even greater investment and growth here.”

It is believed that Cook met with executives from China Unicom and China Telecom, Apple’s carrier partners in China. But Wu declined to give any further details about the meetings, or identify the Chinese officials that met with Cook.

While he was in China, Cook stopped by the Xidan Joy City store in Beijing to meet employees and fans. Sina Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, became flooded with pictures of Cook posing with a number of them.

Cook visited China a number of times as Apple’s COO, and he was spotted last June on a visit to China Mobile, the world’s largest carrier, sparking speculation that the iPhone would arrive on China Mobile. As things stand, however, that’s yet to happen.

While this may be he first visit as CEO, Cook has already broken the record of his predecessor, who revealed to his biographer, Walter Isaacson, that he had never visited China.

[via MacRumors]

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200,000 pre-orders later, China Telecom’s 130 million CDMA customers get access to the iPhone 4S today

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image via M.I.C. Gadget

Sina Tech reports that CDMA iPhone 4S’s are being snapped up by its 130 million mobile subscribers today after the #2 player in the world’s largest mobile market recieved 200,000 pre-orders (and counting) starting last week.

We previously noted that the iPhone 4S on China Telecom will be available in every configuration: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. The phone will start at “free” with a contract. China Telecom received its license to sell the iPhone in January. China Telecom officially announced it would begin selling the iPhone 4S last month.

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China Telecom Begins Selling iPhone 4S After Receiving 200,000 Pre-Orders

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China Telecom has become the second Chinese carrier to offer the iPhone 4S today, ending the exclusivity enjoyed by China Unicom for the last 18 months. The company announced back in February that it would begin selling Apple’s popular smartphone from March 9, and it has taken over 200,000 pre-orders in just the last week.

You can get the iPhone 4S on China Telecom either by visiting Apple’s online store, China Telecom’s website, or by visiting over of its 2,850 retail outlets. But you’ll have to be quick because they’re selling like hot cakes. Over 200,000 units have been ordered since March 2, which is a far greater number than the carrier was expecting.

The device can be obtained for free on selected contracts, and all three models — including the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB devices — are available.

China Telecom accounts for just 12% of China’s wireless subscriber base, with around 130 million subscribers. The country’s biggest network, China Mobile, which boasts a whopping 655 million subscribers, is yet to secure a deal with Apple for the iPhone. However, over 15 million people use the iPhone on the China Mobile network.

[via The Next Web]

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