Survey: Apple ready for big China growth

China is catching up with the Western world in many ways, and now "Wanting an iPhone really, really badly" has been added to the list of similarities. Until now, Nokia has been the most desired brand in China, largely because it's provided cheap handsets. Now such handsets come from Chinese manufacturers, and their low-budget image has led to their desirability being drastically reduced.

These days it's the iPhone that tops the desirability charts amongst those Chinese who say they're thinking of getting a 3G handset. Up to 53 percent of those surveyed said they'd get an iPhone if price were no object, according to a new Alphawise/Morgan Stanley survey.

This research was carried out with the iPhone 4 now nearly a year old compared to some of the competition. The eventual arrival of the iPhone 5 can only change this situation in Apple's favor, meaning that sales may be getting ready to take off in the land where the iPhone is actually made.