China Mobile is in talks with Apple to carry the iPhone, according to a report from Bloomberg. No agreement has yet been reached between the two companies, and China Mobile can’t predict whether the companies will be able to come to agreement in 2012, making it likely the company would start carrying the next iPhone either later this year or in early 2013.
Getting the iPhone on China Mobile will be a big deal for Apple; the Chinese carrier is the largest in the world with just about 2/3 of a billion customers (667.2 million, as of March 31st) tied to the network. If Apple were able to garner a significant number of these customers, they could pull more even with Google’s Android in terms of worldwide market share. There is obviously a market to be had in China, as people are going to great lengths to smuggle iPhones and iPads into the country.
China Mobile is in a similar situation as T-Mobile USA, with 3G bands that are incompatible with Apple’s latest iPhone. As they build out a fourth-generation network, they hope they can secure the iPhone and offer the world’s most popular smartphone to the masses. The company is testing 4G networks in select markets in 2012, and if successful will ramp into heavy rollout mode in 2013.
We’ll be sure to bring you the news as we learn more about a potential relationship between Apple and China Mobile.
[via Bloomberg, All Things D]