China reputedly home to 400,000 unlocked iPhones

Talks with Chinese telecom partners may not be going swimmingly, but that doesn’t mean that the iPhone hasn’t gotten its foot in the door of the world’s most populous country. According to China Mobile, the country’s biggest mobile operator, there are 400,000 unlocked iPhones currently in service on their network.

Research firm In Stat says that’s four times their estimate of the number of unlocked phones in the country, and represents “one out of every 10 iPhone shipments announced officially by Apple.” Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that iPhones are frequently smuggled into the country, with many buyers paying one or two hundred dollars more than the list price.

There seems little argument that the iPhone would do well in China, but if the smuggling market continues so strongly, it may be hard for Apple to come back to the table with China Mobile for future negotiations. Expansion in Asia remains in Apple’s target later this year.

[via Macworld UK]

Category: News

Posted by Dan Moren on Feb 18 2008, 12:03 PM ET

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