Update – September 21, 2009: (via JLM Pacific Epoch) 163.com today quotes China Unicom Vice President Zhu Lijun as stating that iPhone in China will launch towards the end of October.
September 21, 2009: Interfax TMT is quoting an anonymous China Unicom insider who claims that October 15, 2009 will be the official launch date for iPhone in China. According to the reports, iPhone distribution will run through Vsens, China Unicom’s handset distribution division. iPhones will reportedly be sold via three (3) channels:
- Electronics marts
- Channel distribution
- Internet sales.
D Butterfield, International iPhone for Business Presentation Apple HQ Sept 17, 2009
The confirmation that Vsens will control iPhone distribution fits with the previous acknowledgement that China Unicom has pre-purchased a quantity of iPhones – rumored to be 5 million units for USD $1.46 billion. China Unicom CEO Chang Xiaobing has refused to disclose the pre-purchase volume, claiming that the 5-million upfront purchase report was not entirely accurate. The operative word may be “upfront.” It is more likely that China Unicom will acquire and pay for the iPhones over several quarters. Yet the 5 million quantity may prove to be the minimum purchase commitment. It makes sense for Apple to have secured a large purchase guarantee from China Unicom as Apple (Foxconn) must specially configure these iPhones to support a select number of China Unicom’s “Wo” 3G services and the needs (apps and localization) of the China market.
There will initially be two (2) iPhone models for China Unicom – model A1324 based on iPhone 3G and model A1325 based on iPhone 3GS. These iPhones will be preloaded with apps for the China market and may (just guessing) include Youku (not Youtube), HWPen, and China Unicom’s Wo-Television, Wo-Music and Wo-mail.
There were also several new rumored price/plans for model A1324 based on the iPhone 3G:
- RMB 1,999 ($292) for an 8GB 3G iPhone and two-year service contract at RMB 186 ($27)/month
- RMB 2,999 ($437) for a 16GB 3G iPhone and two-year service contract at RMB 186 ($27)/month
The second iPhone for China (A1325 – based on iPhone 3GS) is still in the testing and approval process and there have been no leaks yet about the price/plan rates for this iPhone.
There has been no shortage of rumors over the WAPI/WiFi status of the iPhones for China. It is my guess that at least one, if not both, of the iPhones for China will come with the WAPI/WiFi stack, thereby providing users with access to WiFi. Read more > HERE
Now that I have buried the lead … let me share one more interesting iPhone in China rumor. According to a report on China’s DoNews (via JLM Pacific Epoch), Apple will retain control of the App Store for the iPhone for China:
D Butterfield, International iPhone for Business Presentation Apple HQ Sept 17, 2009
“Apple will not hand operation of its APP Store to China Unicom, according to Apple Global Research and Development Department Director Guillermo Ortiz during a visit to China.”
Given special restrictions that China has placed on wireless value-added services providers (e.g. licensing and server location requirements for app stores), there was some question as to how Apple might need to modify their App Store for China. Some bloggers and tech writers have speculated that Apple might cede control of their China App Store to a China Unicom controlled entity. In addition, there were rumors of changes to the current iTunes/App Store payment systems, as many in China do not own credit cards (at least major cards that are presently accepted). It would not be a surprise to find some payment systems changes that will accommodate Chinese consumers.
D Butterfield, International iPhone for Business Presentation Apple HQ Sept 17, 2009
