Mobile Phone News

Remember that WAPI-compliant version of the iPhone approved back in May? Yeah, well, China Unicom is just at this time getting around to rolling it out, promising it’ll be available next week in the form of an 8GB 3GS for an incredible 4,999 yuan (about $739). As far as we can tell, the phone will be compatible both with straight WiFi and WAPI wireless networks, which is a big step for the country — traditionally, the Chinese iPhone has been WiFi-free while the iPod touch has gone unfettered, the result of bureaucracy, product categorization, and strange laws that don’t fly in many other locales. On a related note, rumor has it that the iPhone 4 — presumably also with WiFi / WAPI — is on track for a September 1 release, so if the 3GS is feeling a little too 2009 for you, you may not have long to wait.

China Unicom getting WiFi-enabled iPhone 3GS next week, iPhone 4 on September 1? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As promised, Vodafone has busted down any last remaining shreds of O2’s iPhone exclusivity today with the official launch of Apple’s wares on its airwaves. Both the 3G and 3GS are available, and yes — it’s possible to get even a 32GB 3GS for free as long as you’re willing to step up to a big-boy plan of £75 (about $123) per month or greater. For its efforts in securing a deal, the carrier believes that it will have moved about 50,000 iPhones by the time it counts all the receipts from the first day’s sales, beating Orange’s numbers from late last year by a solid 20,000. It’s not Orange they’re necessarily going after, though: Voda’s quick to take a pot shot at original seller O2’s network issues by proudly boasting “Outstanding phone, Outstanding network” on the iPhone’s landing page. Honestly, we wouldn’t get too cocky, guys — the iPhone has a tendency to do unfortunate things to those that offer it.

Vodafone kicks off iPhone sales, expects 50K sold today originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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