By Phil Dzikiy @phildzikiy ● Thursday, September 5, 2013

Carrier China Telecom briefly indicated that it was accepting reservations for Apple’s iPhone 5S and 5C. The message, which referenced sales of both new phones, was posted on a microblogging website and has been removed. It’s possible Apple could launch both devices in China earlier than usual, coinciding with an expected U.S. launch on Sept. 20. Apple is hosting a special event in Beijing on Sept. 11, with many speculating that carrier China Mobile will start carrying the iPhone. [via TechWeb (translated link)]

Separately, a report indicates that Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has reached an agreement with Apple to sell iPhones, breaking a long-time impasse between the companies. The issues began after minor rival Softbank secured an early exclusive on the iPhone, which then continued to erode DoCoMo’s once-dominant Japanese market share. [via Asahi Shimbun (translated link)]