China Unicom has announced that it has signed a three-year deal with Apple to sell the iPhone in China. The agreement will see the carrier purchase the phones in bulk, eschewing the traditional revenue sharing model Apple has favored with other carriers.
As previously reported, the phones will be sold with their Wi-Fi disabled in order to conform with Chinese regulations. Unicom said it plans to offer two versions of 3G-capable iPhones beginning in the fourth quarter, but did not offer specifics on exactly which models it would carry.
The announcement comes a month before Unicom is set to roll out its new 3G network; the service will be launched in 285 cities on September 28, with plans to expand to 335 cities by the end of 2009.
Update: iPhone in China notes that the iPhone is now listed on Apple’s website for mainland China, with a form asking visitors to register their name and email to receive more details about the launch when they become available.
