“By now, many people around the world know China Mobile Ltd. as the world’s largest mobile carrier that doesn’t sell Apple Inc.’s iPhones,” Juro Osawa reports for The Wall Street Journal.
“A big question everyone is asking is when Apple will reach an agreement with China Mobile, which has more than 700 million subscribers in the country, so the U.S. company can gain access to a massive pool of potential iPhone users in the world’s biggest smartphone market,” Osawa reports. “That question of course came up, more than once, during China Mobile’s press conference in Hong Kong Thursday, after the company reported its earnings for the first half.”
Osawa reports, “China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua said that the company is still in a ‘deliberation process’ with Apple about the possibility of selling the iPhone, even though the talks are progressing. ‘Both parties are working very hard,’ he said. The company has repeatedly said that it is in talks with Apple about an iPhone deal… A more affordable iPhone, along with a deal with China Mobile, could attract a larger population of Chinese consumers. But as you would expect, Mr. Xi didn’t give any time frame during the press conference. ‘We will make an announcement when we sign a contract,’ he said.”
Read more in the full article here.
iPhone 5C: the “C” stands for China…
Yea, it stands for both, China and Color! Should just be iPhone 5C(squared)
“…when we sign a contract” not “if” we sign a contract. Interesting.
You’re reading a lot into a translation. I doubt he actually said “deliberation process,” for instance.
Fingers crossed the deal is inked and will be announced in September.
They always talk that way. They talk like the iPhone may imminent, but talks go nowhere. They are just hoping to keep their customers waiting rather than jumping to iPhone carriers. For china mobile the iPhone is just vapor ware.
He has been much more dismissive in the past, so this seems like good news.
The 5c, combined with the ” world chip” and Tim Cooks recent visits to China indicate a likely signing to be announced in September, IMO .
I think the fact that Tim took a large Imo’s pizza and some world famous Ted Drewes frozen custard sealed the deal. Who could turn that down? They just can’t announce it yet.
How much can AAPL rise this time ?
It will hit rock bottom 200 dollars.
You know that Apple is doomed. /s
They will not be allowed to place their CRAP APPS on the iPhone.
They can not put their Logo on the outside of the iPhone.
They can sell iPhones the same way everyone else does, or they can follow RIM.
They might be the largest today, but that is not a guarantee for tomorrow. 😛
iPhone 5C will be crap and no Apple product and should be ignored until discontinued.
iPhone 5C will have a hot sale in China. The Chinese so love this brand. Sorrowful.
Every one know that Apple is doomed.