Dialing in iPhone 4 options
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One more option may be in the works for iPhone users in China, as a CDMA network version will be released soon in the US market.
Analysts believe it won't be long for CDMA iPhone's rollout in China's market, as driven by its upcoming launch in the US.
US telecom operator Verizon Wireless announced Tuesday local time in New York that its deal with Apple Inc to start selling a new version of iPhone 4, based on the CDMA 3G network, in the US on February 10. Currently, only telecom carrier AT&T sells iPhone 4 running on the WCDMA network in the US. Verizon's new offer is at the same price as AT&T's.
"China Telecom is in urgent need of star products like the iPhone 4 to attract high-end consumers.
This (the upcoming launch in the US) would certainly step up the negotiating pro-cess between the two sides (China Telecom and Apple)," said Wang Yang, director of China Research at research firm iSuppli in Shanghai.
China Telecom is the third largest telecom carrier in China, which is reportedly in talks with Apple to release the CDMA version in China.
"There is no problem with China Telecom to provide network support for the iPhone 4. (The deal) only awaits Apple to give the nod," said Lu Libin, an industry analyst with Analysys International in Beijing.
The CDMA version won't be available in China for two to three months after its launch in the US, as the new version would be in short supply initially and therefore cannot provide enough products for China's market, Analysys International's Lu estimated.
The new version of iPhone is likely to be available in China in June at the earliest, Chinese portal Sohu.com reported Wednesday, quoting an unnamed source close to China Telecom.
Song Guixiang, chief press officer at China Telecom, told the Global Times Wednesday that she has no knowledge of any negotiations.
Apple officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Currently, China Unicom is the only telecom operator in the country selling the iPhone 4 since September.
If and when the new iPhone 4 hits the Chinese market, it may steal away part of China Unicom's iPhone client base, said iSuppi's Wang.
The two carriers would then compete on service and price to win consumers, he added.
Even if the real thing is not available in the market soon, smuggled versions are sure to flow into the market, spurring on China Telecom 3G network penetration, said Lu at Analysys International.
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