(At least our man thinks that he bought the iPhone. Chinese knock-offs "HiPhone" sells for about half, and he says he hardly tell the difference. See video below).
Last number of our man in Beijing heard on iPhone sales China was 600.000 to 400.000 that China Mobile (CHL) reported at the end of 2007. The number of sales HiPhone? Incalculable.
As you may recall that our man in Beijing plant our steak dinner that the iPhone officially arrives in China by the end of 2009. Our people feel pretty good now. Why?
Because why on earth should China Mobile (mainly owned by the Chinese government) agree that Apple's iPhone reducing the monthly subscription revenue, as China Mobile, we can only sell SIM cards and keep all the revenue for themselves?
Why, yes.
Want to play the iPhone-in-China trend? Buy China Mobile. And, of course, Apple is doing a pretty nice living at the unit, although it is not pigging on charges for a monthly subscription.