A China Mobile subsidiary in the Chinese city of Suzhou has launched a reservation system [Google Translate] for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, potentially signaling the overall launch of Apple's mobile devices on the carrier, reports Fortune.
While the page does not offer customers the option to pay for the device, China Mobile's subsidiary is allowing appointments to be made for the right to purchase an iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c in standard storage capacities. The page also states that over 1,200 people have created an appointment so far.
The news follows an announcement from China Mobile last month stating that it is preparing to introduce a new brand for its mobile service on December 18, signaling the launch date of its 4G network along with general sales of the iPhone on the carrier.
Last month, a China Mobile poster promoting the upcoming release of the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on the network surfaced, which followed approval of the iPhone by Chinese officials to run on China Mobile's TD-LTE network.
A deal between China Mobile and Apple has long been in the works, with China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua and Apple CEO Tim Cook meeting in July to discuss "matters of cooperation", with the former indicating that he felt optimistic about a potential deal with Apple leading up to the announcement of the new phones.
The introduction of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in September also brought band tweaks that combine support for U.S. carriers AT&T and Verizon in one model, while notably also adding support for China Mobile's network.
