As related by Bloomberg, China Mobile chairman Wang Jianzhou has reiterated his earlier claims that Apple and the carrier are working toward developing an iPhone capable of running on the carrier's next-generation time-division LTE (TD-LTE) network.
“China Mobile and Apple hope to find a solution for close collaboration” on the TD-LTE network and compatible products, Wang said in an interview in Dalian today. “We discussed this issue with Apple. We hope Apple will produce a new iPhone with TD-LTE. We have already got a positive answer from Apple.”
China Mobile has received approval for trials of its TD-LTE network, which can offer certain advantages over the frequency-division LTE standard being deployed by most other carriers.
Recent reports have suggested that Apple and China Mobile have already struck a deal for an iPhone capable of running on the carrier's existing 3G TD-SCDMA network. Talks between Apple and China Mobile have been held at the highest levels, with Steve Jobs himself said to have been involved and Tim Cook having visited the carrier's headquarters to work toward a deal.
