Apple Confirms January 13th iPhone 4S Launch in China

[Michael Essany]

Following more than eight weeks of rampant speculation, Apple today confirmed that the iPhone 4S will arrive in China, the world's most populous nation and the largest mobile community on earth, next Friday, January 13th.

“Customer response to our products in China has been off the charts,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in Wednesday morning's formal announcement to the press. “With the launch in China next week, iPhone 4S will be available in over 90 countries making this our fastest iPhone rollout ever.”

Although the Chinese market is the main focus for Apple in next week's launch, China is just one of nearly two dozen additional countries to get the new iPhone this month. The others include: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guam, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos and Uganda.

Notwithstanding all the recent lack of clarity with regard to when the iPhone 4S would finally debut in China, Tim Cook wasn't exaggerating - Next week's launch marks the fastest time Apple has managed to introduce a new product to Chinese consumers after a U.S. launch of the same product.

Source: Apple

[celeron]

There are still countries that dont have the 4s?!

[eddy_on_mac]

There are still countries that dont have the 4s?!

Indonesia

[thetoothfairy]

I am sure these people will enjoy the 4s! Good for them!

[xclusiveiphone]

A China release would mean a huge revenue increase for Apple. Win/win for both ends.

[oahz]

Now maybe they'll fix the huge problem for current iPhone 4S users in China. Ever since the 5.0.1 update, China Mobile sim cards have stopped working and there is no signal. It seems to only affect the iPhone 4S. The updated 9A406 Build has not seemed to fix the issue either... Although not officially supported like China Unicom is, there are a TON of people in China using iPhones with China Mobile. I just hope it can be resolved with a carrier update or something. If we have to wait until 5.1, China Mobile users would have to forego the upcoming untethered jailbreak in order to get service.