China Mobile

Apple’s Cook touring China to talk iPhone 5 with carriers (UPDATE: greater investment mulled)

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 7, 2016

Though Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs never visited China (so says the official biography), the new CEO Tim Cook has been spotted at the company’s Apple Store in Joy City, a shopping mall located in Xidan, Beijing. A local news article included pictures of Cook posing with fans, snapped at the store. However, the real purpose of the executives's visit to China is shrouded in secrecy.

Remember, Cook also visited China last year and was photographed at China Mobile's headquarters in Beijing. China Mobile, the nation's largest wireless operator and the world's largest carrier with more than 600 million subscribers, does not yet carry Apple's handset. Nonetheless, they are already hosting some 15 million iPhones on their network, up from 10 million back in October.

Is Cook in China to cut that long-expected iPhone deal with China Mobile?

China Telecom begins selling the iPhone 4S after receiving 200,000 pre-orders

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated October 25, 2016

The iPhone 4S is popular everywhere it is sold, and China is certainly no different. While previously only available to buy from China Unicom, China Telecom is now also offering Apple's latest smartphone for sale.

Available through any one of the 2,850 China Telecom stores across the country or via Apple's online store, the iPhone 4S is proving hugely popular amongst punters, just as it has elsewhere.

The release has been so popular, breaking China Unicom's 18-month stranglehold on iPhone availability in China, that China Telecom has announced that it received over 200,000 pre-orders for the device. This almost two months after the device was made available through China Unicom. Demand, it seems, has not slowed.

Now there's a shock...

China Mobile isn’t an iPhone partner, but it still has 15 million iPhone users

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

China Mobile is the world's largest wireless carrier, by almost any measurement, with over 650 million mobile subscribers. Its sheer size has made the operator a prime target for Apple partnership rumors, but the two companies have yet to ink out a deal.

But that hasn't stopped folks from using the iPhone on China Mobile's gigantic network. Last fall the carrier announced that it was tracking more than 10 million unlocked iPhone users. And today, just 6 months later, it says that number has gone up 50%...

Apple and China Mobile negotiating iPhone deal

Jake Smith ∙ Updated February 6, 2016

Last night, it was announced that the iPhone 4S will be available on China's third-largest carrier, China Telecom, on March 9th. Apple has been aggressively attacking China and has been reaping off its benefits. To benefit iPhone sales even more, Apple is continuing to pursue adding more carriers to support the iPhone in China.

Reuters reports China's largest carrier, China Mobile, has been "aggressively negotiating" a deal with Apple, but some technical hurdles are holding back a launch for now...

Issue with iPhone 4S and China Mobile SIM Cards Confirmed

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated March 9, 2016

Apple has confirmed that some people are experiencing compatibility issues when marrying a China Mobile SIM card and the new iPhone 4S. China Mobile itself has also confirmed that a potential issue has reared its ugly head.

The list of symptoms is varied but all follow a similar theme, with connectivity issues the main problem. Reports of users being unable to activate their handsets are rife, with others claiming to be unable to connect to the network completely.

Apple has reportedly already discovered the cause of the problem, and is hard at work on a fix...

China Mobile Asks Apple for a Share of App Store Revenue to Solidify Partnership

Cody Lee ∙ November 9, 2011

Rumors of a partnership between Apple and China Mobile have been swirling about for the past two years. The speculation has increased over the last few months as the gossip mill hinted that the operator had finally inked a deal with the Cupertino company.

And why wouldn't Apple want to team up with China Mobile? With over 620 million subscribers, they are by far the world's largest carrier. But according to AllThingsD, a final agreement between the two companies may rely on Apple agreeing on some fairly wild terms...

China Mobile Has 10 Million Unofficial iPhone Users

Sébastien Page ∙ October 24, 2011

Despite the fact that China Mobile doesn't have an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone, its network counts 10 million iPhones users, as the company reported this morning via Reuters.

With 630 million customers, those 10 million iPhone users are just a drop in the bucket. But they do tell a lot about how much China wants the iPhone...