Apple Progressing Toward iPhone Release in China?
SinoCast Daily Business Beat reports that Foxconn, Apple's Taiwanese manufacturing partner for the iPhone, has begun production of a China-specific iPhone lacking Wi-Fi connectivity.
Two production lines in the Foxconn Shenzhen plant are producing 90-coded mobile phones, device that looks like iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, said one source.
The mysterious products might be the very model designed for Chinese users, according to another source, noting that the massively-produced device has no Wi-Fi functions, just like the A1324 model, the Chinese version of 3G iPhone being sent to the China Telecommunication Technology Labs (CTTL) for a test.
The news comes on the heels of a report from research firm Wedge Partners claiming that Apple has officially applied to the Chinese government for a Network Access License to began selling the Wi-Fi-less iPhone there by January 2010. The Chinese government has adamantly objected to Apple's desire to include Wi-Fi on iPhones sold there, desiring to route all Internet traffic through state-controlled cellular networks.
The Chinese version of the iPhone reportedly will run using the same GSM network standard as existing models, preventing it from being deployed on several of China's largest carriers, such as China Telecom, that utilize the CDMA standard. Consequently, Apple appears to be moving toward a deal with GSM carrier China Unicom for the iPhone. Apple had reportedly initially targeted China Mobile, China's largest carrier, for the iPhone, but extended negotiations between the two companies broke down in the wake of disagreements over revenue sharing, subsidies, and App Store control.
Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook noted during the company's April earnings conference call that the company hoped to have the iPhone released in China within a year, and Apple seems to be rapidly progressing toward meeting that goal.
Popular Stories
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio.
Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014.
Q.ai has...
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. At the time,...
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro.
There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch.
Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More
Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
A newly surfaced resale operation is seemingly offering Apple Store–exclusive display accessories to the public for the first time, potentially giving consumers access to Apple-designed hardware that the company has historically kept confined to its retail environments.
Apple designs a range of premium MagSafe charging stands, display trays, and hardware systems exclusively for displays in ...
