China Mobile may sell iPhone without 3G, Wi-Fi

Sep. 26, 2008 (China Knowledge) - China Mobile<941><CHL>, the country's largest mobile phone operator, may agree to launch iPhone on the mainland, on condition that Apple would be willing to disable iPhone's 3G and Wi-Fi network functions, the South China Morning Post reported on Thursday, citing a report from the Daiwa Institute of Research.

IPhone, with a built-in 3G function based on Europe's WCDMA standard, may enable its Chinese users to unlock it and use it on China Telecom's expected WCDMA network, rather than the homegrown TD-CDMA 3G network that China Mobile is trying to build. 

Neither Apple nor China Mobile was available for comments.

Analyst suggested that it could be easier for Apple, which has been eying the mainland market for a while, to disable the 3G and Wi-Fi network functions, rather than to develop a customized model for the mainland market.

Taiwan Hon Hai Precision Industry, contract maker for iPhone, is waiting for verification from the mainland to ship the phone without 3G and Wi-Fi internet functions, the newspaper reported.

In January, the country's largest cell phone carrier halted the bargaining with Apple as the latter asked for up to 30% revenue share. However, the two sides reportedly resumed talks in July.

Last month, China Mobile President Wang Jianzhou said during an interview with media on TD-SCDMA service at the Beijing Olympics that there is no a timetable for this issue.