Apple has reportedly scored a major deal with the largest mobile carrier in the world as the Cupertino-based organization prepares its Sept. 10 event.
The Wall Street Journal reported Apple's iPhone will be introduced to carrier China Mobile, which has approximately 700 million subscribers.
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To compare the size of China Mobile, the Chinese carrier has seven times more subscribers than Verizon Wireless, which is the largest U.S. mobile carrier.
According to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, via Apple Insider, the iPhone deal is expected to start at the end of 2013 while China Mobile completes its TDD-LTE network rollout.
Apple is reportedly utilizing the China Mobile deal to carry out the low-cost smartphone iPhone 5C, but with the TDD-LTE networks plan, the device might be available by November.
Kuo added that the iPhone 5S could launch ahead of the iPhone 5C instead.
The deal, although unconfirmed by Apple, comes as Japan's mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. is expected to sell the iPhone this fall season. DoCoMo has reportedly resisted selling Apple's iPhone to its 60 million subscribers, according to Reuters, due to branding and sales disagreements.
As Latinos Post reported, the French website NoWhereElse, two photos showed dozens of smartphones charging. Based on the pictures, it is difficult to see the recognizable Apple home button. The rear shell of the iPhone 5C is also not visible, where the Apple logo and "iPhone" name is usually located.
According to Engadget, the smartphones were from Pegatron's Shanghai factory.
"More than 40 iPhone 5C handsets are pictured in the leaked picture, and the user who posted it is reportedly in the quality control department at Pegatron, one of Apple's key manufacturing partners," noted BGR.
Apple, meanwhile, has confirmed an event for Sept. 10. The Tuesday date could mark the debut of either the iPhone 5's successor or the low-cost iPhone 5C.
Latinos Post will cover the event live.
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