Apple needs one more ‘critical license’ to launch iPhone 6 in China

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Chinese customers are having to wait a bit longer than everyone else to get their hands on an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.

Apple may be halfway there when it comes to receiving the necessary regulatory approval for the iPhone 6 to go on sale in China.

As per China’s official Xinhua news agency, Apple has now received regulatory approval for the iPhone 6’s use on domestic frequencies, although it requires one other “critical license” before it is able to go on sale.

According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple’s delayed entry into China with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is the result of a disagreement with the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which tests all new phones before they may enter national telecom networks.

It was previously reported that this delay could push the iPhone 6’s launch in China back to 2015. While there is still no clear-cut date when the iPhone 6 family of devices will receive full clearance, it is looking more promising that the process has not entirely stalled.

The delay is bad news for Apple, which has been establishing a foothold in China, particularly after the much-heralded China Mobile deal was agreed at the start of this year.

Tim Cook has previously suggested that China could one day overtake the U.S. as Apple’s biggest market.

For it to do so, however, it is necessary that Apple comes to the right agreements with the Chinese government. Previously the Chinese media has accused Apple of using both iCloud and the “Find My iPhone” function to spy on its citizens, while Apple has been forced to move iCloud in China over to state-run servers.

We’ll keep readers updated as soon as an official launch date is announced.

Source: Reuters

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