Foxconn iPhone apps

Members of Foxconn Electronics' research and development team are working on iPhone applications, claim industry sources from Taiwan. Foxconn is itself based in Taiwan, and known to be the primary manufacturer behind the iPhone 3G. The apps are believed to be written in one or more forms Chinese, with the specific intent of promoting the iPhone in China.

If accurate, the claim could prove to be unusually significant. While Apple has expressed consistent enthusiasm for launching the iPhone in China, it has so far been unable to negotiate a deal with either China Mobile or China Unicom, the only two prospective carriers for the country. Obstacles have included everything from the relative poverty of most Chinese to a lack of support for the iPhone's networking technology. If localized apps are already in production, Apple may be anticipating a Chinese iPhone debut within the next few months, possibly in sync with new hardware.

by MacNN Staff