October 1, 2009
China Rips Guts Out of iPhone
Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2009 If you’ve been to China recently, you might have noticed the conspicuous consumption of that oh-so-Western lust bauble, the iPhone. Even though no phone network in China sells it, the Apple handset has been a roaring success after about a million of them were imported on the gray […]
By Metropolis
Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2009
If you’ve been to China recently, you might have noticed the conspicuous consumption of that oh-so-Western lust bauble, the iPhone. Even though no phone network in China sells it, the Apple handset has been a roaring success after about a million of them were imported on the gray market.
Spotting an opportunity about two years too late, number-two Chinese carrier Unicom has bought up a boatload direct from Apple to sell as official, state-approved products. Only problem is, the state doesn’t actually approve all that much.
Consequently, the “proper” iPhones will all have their Wi-Fi chips ripped out to stop any naughty internet surfing taking place. Instead, Chinese citizens will have to show their hands through the (almost certainly) heavily monitored Unicom network. Boo.
