James Delahunty
16 Feb 2008 2:28
According to market research firm In-Stat, over 400,000 of Apple's iPhone product are being used with the China Mobile provider despite the lack of availability of iPhone in China and breakdown of talks between the two companies. The company sold 3.7 million iPhones in 2007, and there was a noticeable gap between the number of units sold and those that were activated by providers in the U.S. and Europe that Apple holds exclusive deals with.
Apple has fought off iPhone unlocking as well as it can but it has been turned into a business for entrepreneurs and an ongoing challenge for intelligent developers and hackers. The lucrative revenue sharing deals Apple has signed with providers do not apply if devices are unlocked to use other networks.
At least it does highlight the demand for the iPhone among China's massive population. Apple's talk breakdown with China Mobile was downplayed by CEO Steve Jobs, who claims there was only ever really one meeting. The iPhone is poised to make its Asian debut in 2008 officially.