New iPhone for China - Model A1324?
I’m on the road this week and may have fleeting moments to update iPhonAsia … but wanted to share this interesting news. According to a post today by Cindy Ging of Interfax TMT, Apple is planning on launching two iPhone models for the China market. There are no details as to the feature/function differences between the two models … so speculate away.
One possibility … China changed their WiFi policy for mobile phones only very recently (allowing WiFi in combination with China’s WAPI). By all accounts (rumors) the so called “model 90″ for China (A1324) is likely to come without WiFi. If a second model is launched, there’s an outside chance that Apple will introduce an iPhone with WAPI/WiFi in combo – required if you want an official WiFi-enabled iPhone in China.
Another possible “model 2″ is the long rumored iPhone Nano… albeit I give this a lesser chance.
No matter what this rumored second model for China might offer, this is exciting news.
I give this “two iPhones for China” story some credence as Cindy Ging is one of the most reliable journalists covering telecom in China. She has been early and accurate with several iPhone in China stories and it would appear that she has sources inside China Unicom feeding her info. Cindy reports ….
China Unicom planning to unveil two iPhone models
by Cindy Geng
Beijing. August 6. INTERFAX-CHINA – China Unicom plans to introduce two iPhone models to the Chinese market if it finalizes a deal with a delegation in Beijing led by Apple Inc.’s vice president of iPod and iPhone product marketing, Greg Joswiak, a China Unicom source told Interfax on Aug. 6.
Hi there,
Just want to say thanks for the efforts with keeping us to date on the iPhone developments in China. I’m also curious to know since you live in SF, how you developed your interest in China/Asia? Anyway, keep up the good work, it’s always good to have a bit more information – I’m really dreaming of the day I can buy a (legal – and hopefully with wifi!!) iPhone in China!
Cheers,
Jacob.
[...] latest buzz matches recent “insider source” leaks reported via Interfax TMT’s Cindy Ging and a July 28 report by China’s Oriental Morning [...]
[...] this latest rumor is to be believed, we may have two iPhones specially built for China … One with WiFi and one without (Read also prior rumor over two iPhones for China > HERE). [...]