400,000 Unlocked iPhones Roaming On Chinese Networks

Last January I blogged about the missing iPhones. Apple reported 3.7 million iPhones sold at that time, yet AT&T only confirmed 2 million. AppleInsider’s new report reinforces my opinion that Apple’s report is true. Sure, AT&T only confirmed 2 million but there’s a vast number of unlocked iPhones roaming not just on Chinese Networks but all over the world.

China probably has the biggest number of unlocked iPhones because of sheer population. I don’t know if they have the highest ratio though. Asians I think spend more on their mobile phones as opposed to their western counterparts. I know that this is true here in Manila. It’s not uncommon to spend $500 on a phone regardless that we have a lower income than western counterparts. Phones are sort of a status symbol here. In a country where not all people can afford cars, the phone has become a defacto symbol of status. Hence it’s but natural that unlocked iPhones will gain popularity here.

There’s truly a thriving gray market for iPhones not just in China but in countries where the iPhone is not officially available. Will Apple do something to stop it? Maybe. Only to keep their relationship with carriers happy but I don’t think it will stop the gray market. People will find a way. They always do.