Pictures from the Beijing iPhone launch

We've u/led a short clip if you care to see the event - at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsvjtcOM2KI

hi it was great event...http://anina.typepad.com/anina/2009/10/apple-iphone-launch-china-unicom-beijing-china.html

I stopped by The Place since it's next to my office to see what was going on. There was an Apple guy there giving a presentation ('and the iPhone does video too!') that was being translated into Mandarin. There was a line of about 300 people waiting... I guess to sign up with China Unicom. That was about 6:30pm (6:30am 10/30 US EST).

At about 7:00, I was at the Sanlitun Apple Store. It was closed and swarming with photographers. At 8pm, it opened. Lots of cheering people (Apple people) and photographers taking pictures.

As expected the iPhone sold here does NOT have wifi. They wouldn't say if the chip was in the phone or not. A foreign Apple guy (John Ford I think) said they weren't doing any interviews tonight either so no answers from him.

There are three models, 8, 16, and 32gb (4999rmb, 5880rmb, 6999rmb respectively). So the 32gb comes out to about $1050, no Unicom contract needed. I don't care enough to look at the CU page to see what kind of subsidy you get through them for 24 months.

I am using my iPhone here with China Unicom 3G. I pay about 150rmb a month for 500gb download, 240 minutes talk and some included texts too. The 3G isn't bad, but it doesn't work well outside of major cities. Hell, it doesn't work all that well in major cities either.

Other notes: Anyone who really wants a real (wifi-enabled) iPhone can get one. You can get it from Hong Kong, have a friend bring it, or walk into one of many many shops here and buy it. The factory unlocked 32gb version from Hong Kong sells for about 6500rmb, US version is about 1000rmb cheaper.

Regarding wifi: the law is that a phone can't have built in wifi. Everyone who needs/wants that basically just has to pay a premium in a shop here, or pick one up on a trip (frequent for many foreigners here) to Hong Kong. Walk into any Starbucks and you'll see probably half (or more) of the customers with an iPhone. So the law, like most in China, is more of a face thing, window dressing, something that everyone gets around (like using a VPN to access Facebook...putting women in nurse costumes at the sex shops to make it a medical appliance shop). The law is there but it doesn't really stop anyone who want something; it's just a little roadblock.

Does anyone know of a VPN for iPhone that I can use here in China to access FB?

What is strange is that China Unicom is giving amnesty to people that already have WiFi equipped iPhones and they'll be using the same network. Maybe those million or so WiFi equipped iPhones won't cause China Unicom to lose a lot of money. Still, it would seem that there will be people trying to sneak in contraband iPhones just to get all the features. And the contraband iPhones will be less expensive to buy. Maybe those users will be forced to pay higher carrier charges as compensation.

I think by next year Apple will likely build an iPhone that meets the Chinese version WiFi standard. That shouldn't be too difficult for such a large company. I think this year Apple, or should I say Foxconn were being pushed to their limits and can barely keep up with the standard version iPhone demands.

Wow it is NOT cheap in China.

http://iphone.10010.com/buy/

24 months contract required.

So is it finally launching in China? Last I hear Apple was forced to strip Wi-Fi, is this still the case? Or is the iPhone 3GS in China exactly the same as elsewhere in the world?

I was thinking this was a little underwhelming. But now I'm getting all conflicted. How many folks who make the phones do you think will be able to afford to show up and buy one? Sorry :(

This is prior to launch for sure

Is this prior to launch, or are the Chinese not so excited about the official iPhone launch?