This is the longest running story since the misnamed "Hundred Years War" (which ran 1337 to 1453, thus lasting 116 years.) Possibly with less casualties but far more verbiage. Shakespeare, thou shoulds’t be living in this hour.China Unicom states it has moved closer to a deal with Apple to become the first company authorised to sell the iPhone in the world’s largest mobile market which is China.
A Unicom spokesman said, "We have made progress but there are still some problems to be resolved. Both sides have their own timeframe for an agreement but essentially it depends on the practical progress of the negotiations."
Probably, like the Hundred Years War, it needs the Battle of Agincourt to hurry things along.
Unicom, one of the nation’s three major telecoms operators, started iPhone negotiations with Apple after the Chinese government issued third-generation (3G) mobile phone licences in January. As to which year, we are not quite certain, as it was so long ago.
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The state-run Shanghai Securities News cited the famous and ever-present unnamed sources as saying the company has won the right to be the sole supplier of iPhone 3G handsets in China for three years.Third generation telecom services are based on technology that permits transmission of images and videos at high speed.
If the deal is confirmed, as seems certain if tardily, it means Apple has dropped China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile phone network operator, which has been in similar talks with the US company for years. Probably needed a Henry V to lead them.
The splendid and ubiquitous sources familiar with the matter said Unicom is expected to start selling the phones in China at the end of September at a price of no more than RMB3,000 ($440).
AFP said that in order to secure the deal, China Unicom has agreed to, among other things, allow Apple to pre-install its online software shop on the iPhone. This according to the Shanghai Securities News working on despatches from the front.
Let us hope China Unicom make a few yuan out of this deal.
After Agincourt we are told in Henry V "so many had the managing, that they lost France, and made his England bleed." Not a pretty prospect.
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