Apple's Chinese iPhone: why no 3G and no Wi-Fi?!

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Sunday, 28 September 2008 09:51

Your IT - Mobility

Reports say China Mobile has negotiated with Apple to shortly release an iPhone, but without 3G and Wi-Fi capabilities. This would force users to access mobile Internet at 2G speeds exclusively from China Mobile’s network, leaving some scratching their heads and wondering... why?

With over 400,000 unlocked iPhones reported in China even before the 3G model launched, Chinese appreciation for the iPhone has been as strong as anywhere else.

That appreciation could become a lot stronger, with Cellular News quoting a South China Morning Post (SCMP) story that claims China Mobile will finally launch the first official Chinese iPhone - minus a couple of important features!

China Mobile had previously been in talks with Apple to release the iPhone, but the talks reportedly broke down when it became clear Apple’s demands of sharing in monthly revenues were clashing with China Mobile’s refusal to agree to any such payment.

Apple has reportedly backed down from those claims, at least with China Mobile, and so talks were meant to have restarted in July. If the SCMP is correct, the talks have this time been fruitful, but with the unexpected surprise of China Mobile making demands that Apple is reportedly acquiescing to.

These demands involve the removal of 3G and Wi-Fi, with Wi-Fi a bigger and more unexpected blow than the lack of 3G capability.

This is because the Chinese mainland has no 3G networks, with the Chinese Government having pushed for a homegrown 3G standard called TD-SCDMA to be installed instead.

It’s one which avoids royalties needing to be paid to Western companies, and while some TD-SCDMA 3G networks were meant to be up during the Olympics, a widespread rollout by China Mobile has not yet taken place.

China’s other major telco is China Telecom, and reports say it will build a WCDMA 3G network in China, but that too hasn’t yet happened.

When it does, those with officially unlocked 3G iPhones could theoretically connect to it, with unlocked iPhones, other major brands and a several Chinese brands are widely available in China to those that want them and can afford them.

So, why remove Wi-Fi?! Please read on to page 2.