Apple: iPhone Spotted on China Unicom Web Site; Unicom Execs Spotted Paying Visit to Cupertino (Updated)
Very interesting tidbit today from Macworld U.K., which found a China Unicom (CHU) Web page with information on the Apple (AAPL) iPhone. Macworld notes that the information, which is in Chinese, is apparently part of a list of smartphones that could theoretically be supported by the 3G network China Unicom is building. The Macworld story notes that the page appears only on the Web site for the company’s Shanghai branch, and did not say specifically that the iPhone would be offered by China Unicom. MacRumors.com used Google (GOOG) to translate the page, which appears to mostly be a list of iPhone specs.
Does it mean China Unicom will sell iPhones once they complete their 3G network? Unclear. But interesting, nonetheless.
AAPL today is up 82 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $108.48.
Update: Speculation on Apple cutting a deal with China Unicom has been floating around for a while now, and perhaps for good reason. In a note published last month, Riedel Research, which focuses on emerging markets, noted that China Unicom will launch their WCDMA 3G network on May 17. In an interview this afternoon, Reidel proprietor David Riedel notes that a high-level delegation from China Unicom was in Cupertino this month to meet with Apple execs.
