Wait long enough and the good stuff gets sorted out.
Per Macworld UK, Chinese law is set to change, allowing wireless carrier China Unicom to sell iPhones with Wi-Fi capabilities later this month.
A spokesman with the iPhone carrier China Unicom said the company will start offering the 8GB iPhone 3GS with Wi-Fi support possibly by the end of the week, offering no further details beyond this. The Chinese media, however, has reported that the handset will be released on August 9th and that the device will cost 4999 renminbi (US$736) under a 24-month contract plan that includes the product.
Apple was originally forced to drop Wi-Fi support from its iPhones when the device was introduced to the mainland market. At the time Chinese regulators required all handsets to use the domestically developed wireless LAN security protocol known as WAPI (WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure).
But last month, regulators issued a license for an Apple iPhone with Wi-Fi support using the WAPI security protocol. Apple would not comment on China Unicom’s release of the iPhone, said company spokeswoman Carolyn Wu.
As for the possibility of the iPhone 4 being sold in China in the near future, China Unicom said it has no news regarding the matter.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.