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China to roll out WiFi version of iPhone handsets in March, CICC
BEIJING, Feb 25, 2010 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --
iPhone handsets with WiFi support
have been fabricated and may be debuted in the Chinese Mainland
market by mid or late March, but surely no later than in April, said
Chen Haofei, an analyst with China International Capital Corp.
(CICC).
About one month ago, an insider of iPhone's OEM Foxconn was
quoted as saying that iPhone handsets supporting WiFi functions which
were sold to the Chinese Mainland market had been entered into mass
production.
Telecom giant China Unicom (CHU.NYSE; 00762.HK; 600050.SH)
began selling iPhone handsets in the Mainland last October. When
introduced however, the iPhone's WiFi functions had to be eliminated
since it could not satisfy the network accessibility certification,
which requires handsets support China's homegrown wireless security
standard WAPI.
At the end of 2009, China Unicom's president Chang Xiaobing
said that he would press Apple, Inc. into quickly introducing iPhone
handsets capable of supporting wireless networks in the Mainland.
CICC analyst Chen said that in markets across the world, Apple
traditionally introduces an upgraded iPhone six months after its
premier is debuted. Offering WiFi-capable iPhones in the Mainland in
March or April falls within such traditional timing.
Chen also expects Apple to lower its prices when upgrading the
product, which will considerably increase China Unicom's sales volume
of iPhone handsets in the Chinese Mainland.
Chang also expressed confidence that the iPhone could become
the best performing smart phone in the Mainland market. By the end of
January 2010, China Unicom altogether sold about 100,000 iPhone
handsets.
Yi Difei, spokesman of China Unicom, said he did not know of a
clear timetable for the WiFi iPhone's launching. (Edited by Luo
Jingjing, luojj@xinhua.org)
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