China Unicom got a lot of flak for launching the iPhone without Wi-Fi, but even though the 3GS will soon be available with it (as expected), the criticisms might not recede. The 3GS listed here in a regulatory document will have WAPI, a special wireless designation much like Wi-Fi that could potentially allow the Chinese government to eavesdrop on transmissions (though the specifics of WAPI have been obscured, preventing confirmation) . That’s how you gotta roll if you want a handset in China – the Dell Mini 3 will also be using the WAPI standard.
It’s too bad the iPhone couldn’t muscle proper Wi-Fi into China Unicom, especially if it’s at the added cost of user privacy, but Apple’s just a company in California, and China’s… well, a world power. They’ve been trying to push WAPI as a global standard, but have been unable to get the technology approved by the internationally-recognized ISO.
[via Engadget]