But China's largest carrier faces competition from its smaller rivals, while the iPhone is struggling against the surge of Android smartphones. January 14, 2014 5:08 AM PST The iPhone 5S officially lands at China Mobile on Friday. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) China Mobile reportedly has more than 1 million iPhones 5S handsets to offer its customers as its preps for the official launch on Friday. Citing information from a "person familiar with the matter," The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Apple supplier Foxconn shipped those 1.4 million phones to China's largest mobile carrier. Those phones are destined for new buyers as well as those who have already preordered the 5S. The number doesn't account for all of China Mobile's iPhone 5S sales earmarked for January, the Times added, but it does provide some insight into early demand for the phone. "Shipping one million or more iPhones to a single carrier per month is substantial," the unnamed source told the Journal. "But we have limited visibility beyond this month as Apple hasn't informed Foxconn of the volume for the next shipment to China Mobile." Last month, China Mobile finally struck a deal with Apple to offer the iPhone to its 760 million subscribers. Smaller rival carriers China Unicom and China Telecom have already been selling the two latest iPhones since they debuted last year. Both of those carriers have also trimmed contract prices on the iPhone to retain existing customers and lure new ones away from China Mobile.
But China's largest carrier faces competition from its smaller rivals, while the iPhone is struggling against the surge of Android smartphones.
The iPhone 5S officially lands at China Mobile on Friday.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
China Mobile reportedly has more than 1 million iPhones 5S handsets to offer its customers as its preps for the official launch on Friday.
Citing information from a "person familiar with the matter," The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Apple supplier Foxconn shipped those 1.4 million phones to China's largest mobile carrier. Those phones are destined for new buyers as well as those who have already preordered the 5S.
The number doesn't account for all of China Mobile's iPhone 5S sales earmarked for January, the Times added, but it does provide some insight into early demand for the phone.
"Shipping one million or more iPhones to a single carrier per month is substantial," the unnamed source told the Journal. "But we have limited visibility beyond this month as Apple hasn't informed Foxconn of the volume for the next shipment to China Mobile."
Last month, China Mobile finally struck a deal with Apple to offer the iPhone to its 760 million subscribers. Smaller rival carriers China Unicom and China Telecom have already been selling the two latest iPhones since they debuted last year. Both of those carriers have also trimmed contract prices on the iPhone to retain existing customers and lure new ones away from China Mobile.
