Reuters reports that China Mobile is talking with Apple about selling the iPhone. China Mobile is the world's largest telecom carrier by subscribers. It claimed over 600 million users at the end of September, 2011 and, interestingly, 10 million iPhone users. Those customers either converted from China Telecom (which does sell iPhones), or bought an iPhone from an Apple Store or the black market.

China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua recently told shareholders, "We've been actively talking to Apple on how we can cooperate," further saying that "both sides" hope for increased cooperation.

Recent speculation has suggested that the next iPhone will use a Qualcomm Inc. chip, which would be compatible with China Mobile's own 3G network.