Apple, Inc. has received permission to sell Apple iPad and iPad Mini LTE tablets in China. Chinese authorities approved the company’s request on Tuesday, allowing the tech firm to begin fourth-generation sales for its 3G + LTE capable devices.
The license approval was first reported by China’s Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center. The approval includes sales permission for both China Unicom and China Telecom. Still not available are devices for China’s number one cellular provider China Mobile, the world’s largest cellular provider company.
While Apple has attempted for more than two years to sign China Mobile to a distribution deal, the cellular provider has been slow to accept any type of iPhone or iPad carrier deal. However, China Mobile’s CEO recently said the company was aiming for an early 2013 Apple release.
With Apple stock prices shrinking in recent months, the company is in no doubt working endlessly to secure the China Mobile deal. Apple released the iPhone 5 in China on December 14 and quickly sold 2 million units. Apple has also been selling the Wi-Fi only iPad in China since December 7; however, that device has not been as well received as previous models. Despite slowed tablet sales, Apple continues to dominate the Chinese tablet market.
Apple has not revealed when the newly approved LTE tablets will go on sale; however, Apple Stores in China are typically pretty quick to pick up product and begin sales once approved by China’s regulations committees.
Both the Apple iPad and iPad Mini devices have been adapted to run on both WCDMA and CDMA2000 bands. Those network settings allow for 3G + 4G data access.
