iPhone in China | 苹果中国

As of 9pm Beijing time, Apple.com.cn officially lists the iPhone’s arrival to Mainland China. From Apple: “尽早获知:iPhone 即将来到中国, 想尽早获详情？即刻注册，我们会在iPhone上市时的第一时间通知你”.

It is basically asking people to register their name and email to find out details of the iPhones arrival in China. As of this writing, the iPhone is not listed in the online Apple Store in China.

No more time for rumors, it is now official. China Unicom and Apple has officially announced the settlement of a multiyear agreement to sell the iPhone in China today. As our sources have confirmed with us earlier, they are gearing up for a fourth quarter launch this year.

Over the past few months, China Unicom kiosks have been popping up in Carrefour (the French version of Walmart) and Best Buy locations all over the Mainland after China Unicom has made agreements with both companies to help promote and sell their 3G service. The wide availability of the iPhone at these higher end locations should help obtain the right target market as well as defend against China Mobile’s Android based OPhone (the supposed China iPhone killer) also making it’s debut around the same time. The 8GB version of the iPhone (around 2,400 RMB) and 16GB version (around 4800 RMB) will also be sold at official China Unicom locations.

China Unicom press release:

UPDATE: iPhone in China is officially listed on Apple.com.cn

We reported earlier that one of the reasons for investing in China Unicom (CHU) may not be a good idea because of their official stores being sparsely located throughout major cities. Today we learn that Best Buy in China has been preparing for the iPhone release as early as May when Apple received a 5 year license from the national radio frequency spectrum monitoring and testing center. Along with the iPhone, Best Buy will also sell other 3G Unicom products such as data cards and service plans. The Apple Store in Beijing brings the total to three official retailers for the Chinese iPhone.

There will also be 2 versions of the iPhone set for release in China which sport different model numbers then their parallel devices in the rest of the world. The Chinese version of the iPhone 3GS Model is A1325, and the Chinese version of the iPhone 3G model is A1324. The iPhone 3GS elsewhere such as the US and Hong Kong is the A1303, the second generation iPhone 3G and first-generation iPhone only supports the 2G mobile phone models are the A1241 and A1203 respectively. According to the screenshot below from the National Radio Authority web site, the Phone will be on the GSM standard.

Apple COO, Tim Cook in an interview with iPhoneAsia Editor Dan Butterfield also said Unicom reached a sale agreement with Apple and will see the formal launch of China’s first Apple iPhone mobile phone the autumn of 2009 .

最新的iPhone OS 3.1 beta版包含对”iProd1,1,”的设置，这意味着有一个神秘的产品即将发布.  那个神秘的产品是上网本还是其他产品仍然不得而知.

[via ARS Techinca]

Yesterday, China Mobile Research Institute disclosed insiders, “this year there will be several formal Ophone phones coming to market with 40 different varieties” Last week, Lenovo Mobile said, a high-level “Lenovo will be the TD version Ophone available in September.” when the 2G version of TD-SCDMA and Ophone Lenovo will be listed for sale at the same time. If so, then Ophone positive encounters with the iPhone will be inevitable. However, some informed sources said the iPhone version of the earliest Unicom to be available for sale in the fourth quarter of this year.

It is reported that Lenovo will use super-phone Ophone hardware configuration, such as with 3.5-inch touch HVGA ultra-high-definition widescreen, 634MHz processor, 8GB/16GB mass storage, , Micro SD, 5 megapixel autofocus camera, support for GPS / Wi-Fi / digital TV, using 1500mAh/2000mAh removable battery. It is easy to see from the configuration, Ophone is directed to the iPhone.

OPhone Although the iPhone is more similar in appearance, but is used OPhone China Mobile Google Android platform-based operating system developed by OMS (Open Mobile System), and China Mobile will be built in which a number of business, such as flying letter, newsletter, mail, such as mobile phones.

Here is a video from Sina Tech:

The Chongqing Morning News this morning reported China Unicom will definitely use a subsidized bundled sales approach for the iPhone. “Consumers who buy the actual product will not pay more than 3000 rmb. Also for customers who sign higher priced subscription contracts, the cost of the purchase of iPhone mobile phone will be much lower.”

Yesterday, the reporters came to town a computer Jiefangbei parallel asked Apple iPhone mobile phone.

A sales staff in Jiefangbei said that the latest 16GB 3GS of the iPhone will be more than 5,000, while the 32GB price of the iPhone 3GS in more than 6,000 and must also be ordered in advance.

According to the latest network debut of a “Unicom iPhone” the  back of the phone introduced simplified Chinese text which says “美国苹果公司 Apple Inc WCDMA 数字移动电手机 ”  which is translated to “USA Apple Inc Apple Inc WCDMA Digital Mobile Phone”.

From the pictures of the 16GB Unicom version we reported earlier, which broke the story to the Western world, there is not much difference in style other than the missing Wi-Fi option in the settings menu. Market analysts believe that a lack of Wi-Fi may reduce the iPhone’s attractiveness to users.

Chongqing Unicom insiders who told reporters that iPhone in China may have some built-in applications and designs that are more specific to users in mainland China.

It is now confirmed that provider China Unicom will be pushing Apple’s 3G version of iPhone mobile phone with recent photos revealing the first upcoming Chinese version of the iPhone 3GS from Sina Technology test reviews.

The recent photos taken from Sina Technology Zhiguo show the carrier signal on the top left hand corner revealing “中国联通” (China Unicom) along with the 3G signal. Since China Unicom is mainly a WCDMA provider, this may be very good news for Verizon wireless in the States who is reportedly subsidizing Apple’s tablet may also contract with Apple to provide the iPhone.

The back of iPhone mobile phones reveals simplified Chinese which is only exclusive to China. It is noted that the iPhone released in Hong Kong uses English on the back.

Booting up the device reveals the typical “Dear user, you are welcome to use the China Unicom’s business” message found on Chinese phones.

The battery percentage meter reveals it is a 16GB 3GS model and it is unclear if China will also receive the 8GB 3G or the 32GB 3GS.

As early as May this year, the national radio frequency spectrum monitoring and testing center on the site show that Apple’s phone has been through the national radio transmitting equipment, type approval, access to 5-year market access time, the news industry as a Progressive Apple Mainland turn for the better. The industry speculated that the submission of Apple products are customized for the Chinese market, especially the 3G version of iPhone mobile phones, for Unicom WCDMA standard. The mobile phone that has appeared online in the Foxconn foundries might be OEM production.

(via Sina Techonology)

正当苹果继续与中国联通谈判之时，一位不知名人士向网易透露，富士康已经在批量生产一款适用于中国网络的特别版iPhone 3G 手机。据称这款装置被供应商以“90”作为代号，而标准的3G模式被称为“82”，新的3GS手机则称作“88”。

该手机保留了3G和蓝牙功能，Wi-Fi 功能据说则被去除，以遵守政府规定。今年早些时候的一份报告显示，中国联通也认为App Store对他们控制手机上网市场是一个威胁，尽管报告的具体条款还不可知。

该消息人士称，中国版iPhone目前正在信息产业部接受实验室测试。预计苹果将在未来几周内与中国联通达成协议。但是有几位分析师相信，苹果还会与中国另一手机供应商中国移动进行商谈。

位于科罗拉多州丹佛的Wedge  Partners公司今天下午断言，苹果的iPhone 3G手机将会早于预期来到中国。

一直宣称自己是独立实体调查公司的Wedge，旗下拥有来自Friedman、Billings、Ramsey和其他商店的一些老将，其分析师称，调查表明，中国的信息产业部已经收到“iPhone进行手机测试”的申请。Wedge分析师认为这意味着iPhone将在“年内，很可能3到4个月内”得到入网执照。

尽管调查显示“苹果与中国联通之间仍然没有进展”，Wedge人士认为入网执照可以加速苹果与这个未来与其合作的手机运营商的谈判。

这一切看来都与美国银行/美林分析师Cynthia Meng 6月19日的评论一致，Meng当时称中国联通将在第四季度得到苹果电话。

Wedge公司表示，中国版的iPhone 3G手机（先不说3GS）将会去掉WiFi功能，这显然是苹果为获得执照不得已做出的让步。