Apple is in the final stages of securing regulatory approval for the iPhone 6 in China, reports Tenacent, meaning it could soon go on sale in the country. It’s a major market for the Cupertino firm, as it contains two of the largest carriers in the world.
The news outlet quoted China’s Ministry of Industry and Information technology as saying “it’s just a matter of time” before regulators complete the approval process for Apple’s new handsets, which have already gone on sale in several countries.
While the iPhone 6 launch in China is still uncertain, today’s report suggests that it could happen sooner than later. A scoop from Bloomberg earlier this month suggested that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus may not land in the country until sometime next year.
Again, with the #1 wireless provider in the world, China Mobile, and #4 China Unicom, China is a very important market to Apple. It’s also one that the company enjoys relatively little marketshare in, as it’s dominated by local manufacturers.
Apple announced the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at an event on September 9th, and they officially launched on the 19th. Following record-breaking opening weekend sales, it expanded the availability of the two handsets to another 20 countries on Friday.
[Recode]