The latest model of Apple’s iPhone will be available through two of China’s largest operators by the end of the year, according to a Wall Street Journal report. China Unicom and China Telecom are reportedly planning launches around the end of November, marking the device’s debut in the Chinese market.
China Unicom chairman Chang Xiaobing noted that the operator would begin selling the iPhone 5 once it had received the approval of the relevant authorities following tests. He added that his firm was looking to court high-income customers, with the goal of having 100 million 3G subscribers at the end of 2012.
China Unicom was initially the sole provider of the iPhone in China, launching the device in 2009. The firm’s installed 3G base has grown steadily since; however this year China Telecom became its first competitor to offer the iPhone. The device is not available through the Chinese market leader China Mobile.
