Unicom says it hopes to sell five million handsets in three years, but experts and customers question how realistic that goal is when tech-savvy consumers have been snapping up cheaper fake and smuggled models for months.

Shaun Rein, head of the China Market Research Group, said two million of China’s nearly 720 million mobile phone users are already using authentic iPhones purchased here or abroad, and demand may already be met.
China Unicom said earlier this month that it would offer eight iPhone subscription packages costing between 126 and 886 yuan ($18.5-130) a month.

But in China, most people use pre-paid mobile packages, in part because subscription contracts require an employer guarantee or government documents such as a residence permit that can be hard to get in major cities, Rein said.

Unicom will also sell stand-alone handsets, but at a high price, with the cheapest at 4,999 yuan, totally out of range for the average Chinese consumer.

Beyond the hefty price tag, the first batch of official iPhones will come without WiFi — an important selling point both in China and globally. With WiFi disabled, there will not be many buyers, said Analyst.

Source : Konaxis