Apple has received regulatory approval that will allow the company sell its latest smartphone in China.
The company received a license for the iPhone6 to be used on China's wireless networks, according to a statement on the website of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Apple this evening confirmed the news in a statement.
The new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus went on sale last week in the US, UK, Puerto Rico, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, France, and Germany -- but not in China. That delay has reportedly spurred black market sales of iPhone 6 sales in China. Several people cited by Bloomberg said they were buying up stock of the iPhone 6 in countries where it's available and then reselling them in China at far higher prices.
Apple sold a record number of iPhone 5S units in China last fall. About 16 percent of Apple's $37.4 billion in sales last quarter came out of China, the world's largest smartphone market.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available for pre-order October 10 online and for sale in stores beginning Friday, October 17.
"We are thrilled to bring iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to our customers in China on all three carriers at launch," said Apple's CEO Tim Cook. "With support for TD-LTE and FDD-LTE, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus customers will have access to high-speed mobile networks from China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom for an incredible experience."