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Apple reportedly pushes back iPhone 6 rollout in China due to regulatory problems

According to a report from The New York Times, Apple is facing issues in China that have led the California tech giant to delay the launch of its latest devices in that country. While many countries will be getting the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus on September 19th, Chinese carriers have been told not to expect it on that date.

Last year’s iPhone 5s and 5c were the first iPhones to hit China the same day as the United States, whereas previous devices had been made available several months after their initial launches. The Times notes that all three of the country’s major carriers were already preparing staff to begin sales on the 19th, and the companies had already bought advertising campaigns for the phones with the expectation that they would have it on day one.

Apple hasn’t given the carriers or media any explanation as to why this launch was suddenly delayed, but it seems Chinese wireless regulators have not yet approved the device for use within the country. The Chinese government has previously accused the iPhone of posing a threat to its national security after it was revealed that the U.S. National Security Administration had been collecting data from smartphones without permission.

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Comments

  1. PMZanetti - 10 years ago

    The threat to national security that the iPhone poses is allowing Chinese citizens a voice.

  2. oguntunde - 10 years ago

    This is obviously a plan by some gov’t officials to sow bad publicity to slow Apple’s growth in China.

  3. akismet-2b1c59dfb0fcdfd58252f9552f30afe6 - 10 years ago

    Cool! At least there will be more devices available for the rest of the world. :) I am sorry dear friends from China.

    • alvinguzman - 10 years ago

      Unlikely seems the branding/boxes/firmware was probably already done/flashed for them.

  4. beyondthetech - 10 years ago

    “That’s what you get for leaking videos of unreleased Apple products!”