China Mobile currently plays host to over 750 million subscribers in China, easily making them the largest carrier in the country, and potentially the world as well, which is why we’re not surprised that Apple is eager to enter into a deal with them in which it would see more iPhones being sold, but how many iPhones could be sold if the deal were to be a success? Well according to AlphaWise and Morgan Stanley Research, they claim that at the very least, the deal would see Apple sell 12 million units, if not more come 2014.
The 12 million units is thought to be a “base case” scenario, but on a more optimistic note, analyst Katy Huberty thinks that the deal with China Mobile would allow Apple to sell an additional 23 million iPhones next year, just in the Chinese market alone. On a more pessimistic note, Huberty notes that Apple could sell 5 million units. As it stands China Mobile does play host to a number of unlocked iPhones, although a deal with the carrier would undoubtedly entice more customers to come on board with the carrier, while allowing Apple to tap into China Mobile’s massive subscriber base. No word on when the deal could be finalized as last we heard, it was still in negotiation.
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