iPhone 5S, 5C score 100,000 reservations at China Unicom
Online reservations for the new iPhones have shot past 100,000 at China's second-largest mobile carrier, reports Bloomberg.
Apple's latest iPhones have already snagged a healthy number of consumers in China.
China Unicom, the country's second biggest mobile provider, has seen more than 100,000 reservations for the two new phones since they took Apple's stage early last week, Bloomberg said on Monday. Reservations hit that level even though the carrier has yet to reveal its pricing for the new lineup.
The iPhone 5C is up for preorder around the world, while the 5S won't be available at all until September 20. But reservations are different from preorders.
An online reservation doesn't require money upfront but promises the consumer the reserved phone from available stock come September 20. On that date, customers can visit an Apple Store in China or Hong Kong where employees will help them pick the right mobile plan, set up e-mail, and transfer contacts.
China Telecom subscribers who buy one of the new iPhones will have to contend with a slightly lower subsidy. A monthly plan that costs 289 yuan ($47) for the iPhone 5S carries a subsidy of 2,890 yuan ($472), 15 percent less than the 3,400 yuan ($555) for the iPhone 5 under the same plan, Hong Kong-based analyst Eva Yip told Bloomberg.
Fellow carrier China Telecom will offer the 5C and 5S with downpayments of 4,488 yuan ($733) and 5,288 yuan ($864), respectively. The phones are free for subscribers who opt for a two-year contract with a minimum monthly plan costing 329 yuan ($53) for the 5C and 389 yuan ($63) for the 5S, Bloomberg added.
China Mobile still doesn't offer the iPhone. But the latest reports say Apple may be close to reaching a deal with the country's largest carrier.