Update: 11/18/08 – More Wang Jianzhou quotes from Macau GSMA conference:
Update: 11/18/08 – China Mobile CEO Wang Jianzhou attended the recent GSMA Mobile Asia Congress in Macau. Per usual, reporters asked him about iPhone negotiations. As noted in the post below, we heard his pat answer … “We’re still in talks with Apple, but no timeline.” The update relates to Wang Jianzhou’s acknowledgment that he can’t say anything due to an NDA between China Mobile and Apple. Yet when reporters pressed him further, Wang did reveal that he is an admirer of Apple’s App Store. He also stated that China Mobile would be developing their own App Store.
This suggests (still just an iPhonAsia SWAG) that China Mobile and Apple are collaborating to build a customized TD iPhone 3G. As iPhonAsia has speculated, this special “customized” model for China Mobile would support the Monternet platform. More details > HERE
iPhonAsia comment: When China Mobile CEO Wang Jianzhou says we are still “in talks, but no timetable” read between the lines > see iPhonAsia Post Has he made and Crazy Ivans?
MACAU -(Dow Jones)- China Mobile Ltd. (0941.HK), the world’s biggest telecom operator by subscribers, is looking to invest overseas in emerging markets including Asia as telecom assets are currently cheap, Chairman and Chief Executive Wang Jianzhousaid Tuesday.
Speaking during the GSMA Mobile Asia Congress, Wang said telecom asset prices are so low that many companies may hesitate to sell, but some may need money so there are opportunities for acquisitions.
China Mobile is looking at investments with or without management control or a majority stake, said the executive.
Wang also told reporters China Mobile is still in talks with Apple Inc. (AAPL) to launch the iPhone, but there is no timetable for when it might be available in China.
He also said the economic slowdown will hurt all of Asia’s mobile companies.
-By Aaron Back, Dow Jones Newswires; 8610-6588-5858;
[...] marching orders to their engineers and web-development teams. As we have noted on iPhonAsia in several posts, China’s major mobile carriers would like to control as much the value added services [...]
[...] Rumor: China Unicom to start selling the iPhone Nano Update: Sorry I missed this earlier … If the China Unicom source is to be believed, “The two companies (China Unicom & Apple) began discussions after Apple’s talks with China Mobile broke down in October 2008″ … then why did China Mobile CEO Wang Jianzhou say in Mid-November 2008 (at GSMA Mobile Asia Congress in Macau): “We have [non-]disclosure agreements with Apple, so I can’t disclose many details. All I can say is that China is still interested in [bringing the] iPhone into China Mobile markets.” … More > HERE [...]