With the hot-selling iPhone 4 heating up the global mobile market, Apple Inc is stepping up an ambitious expansion plan in China. A recent report from Deutsche Bank said that China Telecom will launch a dual sim card stand-by iPhone for the CDMA network in order to meet demands from different operators in China, Information Times reported Friday.
A source familiar with the matter said the new iPhone will be equipped with receivers for both CDMA and GSM networks to bitterly suit the tastes of Chinese mobile users, according to the newspaper.
According to analysts, although the Chinese market share accounts for only 10 percent of Apple's global business, the rapid growth is drawing Apple's attention to the potential market.
Analysts said Apple is changing its strategy from cooperating with only one operator, China Unicom, to tapping into a greater market by strengthening its cooperation with China Telecom and China Mobile. Apple is also coping with competitors in patent infringement issues worldwide, the news report said.