China Mobile, the largest carrier in the region, has flipped the switch on their 4G network. The update brings speedy connectivity for the 760 million-plus using the network, and a very attractive reason to move for those on others. Though many are anticipating the release of one smartphone in particular, their current lineup is primed to take advantage of LTE speeds.
Via their product page, we see that the Galaxy S4, HTC One, and Sony Xperia SP (China only) are there, and the Huawei Ascend also makes an appearance. Others, like Oppo and lenovo, also have offerings which promise to sell well. The switchover should add to their already massive customer base, but it could end up selling a boatload of handsets, too.
China Mobile is readying themselves to sell roughly 200 million handsets in 2014. While the promise of LTE speeds is enticing, it doesn’t cover the whole of China. Currently, the new network covers Beijing, Guangzhou, and Chongqing. China Mobile plans to have coverage to over 100 cities and 500 million people soon, though. That would dwarf Verizon’s claim of covering 300 million customers, nearly doubling up on the domestic LTE juggernaut.
The current crop of devices might be suitable, and keeps China Mobile on par with other big-name carriers around the world, but one thing is missing: the iPhone. Recent reports suggest that China Mobile has been in talks with Cupertino to get the smartphone, and that’s it’s coming very soon after the new year. Some reports put it right around Chinese New Year, and should prove a hefty chunk of that proposed 200 million sales number they’d like to reach.
