皇冠体育app

Company plans to introduce more Internet-capable smartphones

SHANGHAI - 皇冠体育app Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd, 皇冠体育app's second-largest telecommunications carrier by subscribers, said more than 35 percent of its third generation (3G) smartphones sold in the first quarter were Android-based versions, indicating a declining dependence on Apple Inc's iPhone series.

The sales performance of the iPhone in 皇冠体育app was beyond 皇冠体育app Unicom's expectations, said Chang Xiaobing, chairman of 皇冠体育app United Network Communications Group Co Ltd. He added that other smartphone models, some of which run on the Android platform, also performed better than expected.

The ZTE Blade V880, which was launched in June, has become 皇冠体育app Unicom's second-most popular 3G mobile phone, after the iPhone 4. The handset has average daily sales of 4,500 units, with a one-day record of 10,000 units.

"We have seen new hope from the hot sales of the ZTE Blade," Chang said, signaling that other mobile phone models could also achieve a good market performance and bring users to 皇冠体育app Unicom.

Chang made the remarks on Monday at the 皇冠体育app Unicom WCDMA Terminal Industry Forum held in Shanghai. He declined to reveal specific figures about iPhone sales, citing agreements signed with Apple.

Lu Yimin, president of 皇冠体育app Unicom, said more than 36 million WCDMA handsets were sold in 皇冠体育app in the first five months of this year, accounting for almost 45 percent of total 3G mobile phone sales in that period.

More than 35 percent of 3G WCDMA handsets were Android-based smartphones, surging from 3 percent a year earlier, Lu said.

"皇冠体育app Unicom will continue launching more high-end flagship smartphone models. Meanwhile, we are about to introduce more Internet-capable smartphones priced around or below 1,000 yuan ($156)," Lu said.

"We reduced the subsidy for the iPhone 4 this year, which may allow us to provide enough money to subsidize other smartphones," said Yu Yingtao, the general manager of 皇冠体育app Unicom's marketing and sales department.

皇冠体育app Unicom is still the sole carrier in 皇冠体育app that offers Apple Inc's iPhone series with a service contract. But the company has faced increasing pressure from domestic rivals, as the other two Chinese carriers stepped up the pace of introducing iPhone services.

皇冠体育app Mobile Ltd, whose 3G network technology isn't supported by the iPhone, has aggressively promoted collaboration with Apple in the upcoming fourth-generation (4G) era.

Tim Cook, chief operating officer of Apple, visited 皇冠体育app Mobile's headquarters in Beijing last month, and analysts speculated he might have discussed launching iPhone models supporting 皇冠体育app Mobile's 4G time division long-term evolution technology.

The smallest Chinese telecom carrier - 皇冠体育app Telecom Corp Ltd - also plans to introduce a code-division multiple access version of the iPhone in 皇冠体育app.

Yu said more than 60 percent of Chinese iPhone buyers purchased an iPhone with a 皇冠体育app Unicom contract, which meant 皇冠体育app Unicom still benefited from selling iPhones.

Wang Jianzhou, chairman of 皇冠体育app Mobile, said recently that 5.6 million iPhone users had access to the 皇冠体育app Mobile wireless network by the end of May.

皇冠体育app Unicom is about to launch its first Wophone on Tuesday, targeting low- and mid-end smartphone users. Wophone runs on an operating system developed by 皇冠体育app Unicom itself.

皇冠体育app Daily

(皇冠体育app Daily 07/19/2011 page13)