By Chris Chang, posted Sep 7, 2010 at 4:20 PM, 3,075 views,

Chinese iPhone 4 Approved With WAPI WiFi

Good news! Apple’s iPhone 4 with Wi-Fi capability has just snagged a network access license in China yesterday, which was posted on the country’s Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center’s Web site. This is 100% real and we are pretty sure iPhone customers in China could soon be able to get a version of the device with Wi-Fi, coming mid-September.

Previously, we have been checking out for the launch date of iPhone 4 in China, and China Unicom has been disappointing us with numerous of delays. Now, the iPhone 4 has successfully received the network access license, despite the Chinese regulations. You need to know that China doesn’t allow Wi-Fi devices that do not use the country’s own wireless standard, called WAPI (Wired Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure).

So, the iPhone 4 for China comes with Wi-Fi, includes WAPI and supports HSDPA/HSUPA. With all the gates opened, China Unicom will introduce the iPhone 4 before September 22, and Suning (the largest electrical appliance retailer in China) will also launch the iPhone 4 at Beijing on September 16, only if China Unicom could get the stocks ready before the launch. There are some rumors flying around on the Chinese internet saying that China Unicom will provide the iPhone 4 with 2-year contract, $5880 yuan (about $860 USD) for 16GB and $6999 yuan (about $1030 USD) for 32GB. Well, there’s a contract-free price, $6000 yuan (about $880 USD) for 16GB.

For the jailbreak service we talked about previously, we think it’s not provided by China Unicom officially, maybe the customers can get this service under the table. For the price tags of the Chinese iPhone 4, we think it’s overpriced. The unlocked iPhone 4 in Hong Kong starts from $4988 HKD (about $640) for 16GB model, some customers from mainland China could travel to HK to purchase, so why am I going to buy a locked iPhone 4 which cost more expensive in China? Regarding the iPad, China Unicom will provide it after the iPhone 4 is officially introduced to the Chinese market. We will keep track of everything.

Source: Sina (1), (2), (3)