After months of rumours, China Unicom has announced that it will sell the Apple iPhone in China later this year. When announcing its 2009 interim results, the carrier reported that:
On 28 August, the Company and Apple reached a three-year agreement for the Company to sell iPhone in China. The initial launch is expected to be in the fourth calendar quarter of 2009. This will provide users with brand new communication and information experience.
The two companies have reached a multi-year agreement. Terms were not disclosed but are rumoured to be a three-year agreement with a purchase of 5 million iPhones.
China Unicom will sell an iPhone with the Wi-Fi function disabled as this is required by Chinese regulations. Other specifications are expected to be the same as those of iPhones sold elsewhere in the world.