WiFi-less iPhones roll off assembly line -- and into Chinese pockets?

Word from the land of Yao is that Foxconn has begun mass production of a 3G-enabled iPhone 3GS-looking device that lacks WiFi functionality, though it's being suggested that these may actually lack a WiFi module altogether as opposed to the software lock we'd heard about earlier. The phone (read: iPhone) in question is said to be the same as the one Apple recently sent to the China Telecommunication Technology Labs for testing, which points to the handset making its long-awaited Chinese debut in the near future. Of course, rumors of this happening have been surging and receding for years now, and even these "undisclosed sources" provide no insight as to which carrier will scoop the prized contract. The great will they or won't they discussions continue, though if these things are actually being produced, it means one of two things: the world's most populated nation is about to get its iPhone fix, or the world at large is about to receive another stash of iPhone KIRFs.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 15th 2009 9:33PM]

No WiFi???? Ohhhh good jeebus, are you sure it's not for Verizon!?!?!?!

Is there a Verizon in China?

Hahahaha.....

The Nation's most crippled WiFi carrier....Welcome to VERCHINA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Posted from my Samsung Omnia (using......WiFI!!!!!)

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2009 4:06AM]

@ el hefe weizen

I can't agree more China teleco sounds just like if evil empire verizon had a Chinese counterpart!

Screw Verizon and their evil way of limiting phones! That's y I left evil verizon for my nice iPhone!!!!! O wait I'm using wifi 2 write this post 2 nice!!!!!!

Go AT&T

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2009 12:15PM]

Cooome on....really?

You didn't catch my sarcasm...let me help you in geek speak

/SARCASM

There...is that better?

Did you notice I posted using WiFi on my Omnia?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 17th 2009 2:15AM]

The crippling isn't always obvious but it's there- have a good long look at your Omnia-s screen resolution compared to the original Korean version.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2009 5:37AM]

Let's hope that those phones have some notorious external differences. Otherwise we'll be flooded by phony 3GS offers in ebay.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2009 11:48AM]

The lack of Wi-Fi is a requirement by the Communist government if China. Should something happen where they want to cut their citizens' access to the Internet, they just disable the carrier's data. This way, you won't have a situation like in Iran where the government couldn't block Twitter from all mobile phones during the election riots recently. The Chinese are thinking ahead ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 17th 2009 12:37AM]

That's not funny.
Aren't all notebooks in China come with WIFI?
And oh, Nokia 5530xm will soon come to China WITH WIFI.

BTW, is there any difference between a WIFI connection to Internet and a Cable connection, if carrier wants to 'Stop you access'? Seriously.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 17th 2009 3:07AM]

China has its own WLAN standard---WAPI. So a cell phone's WiFi function (if it has) is usually blocked in China.
However, China Telecom and China Mobile are now setting up WiFi/WAPI hotspots in many cities. China Telecom even offers some cell phones with WiFi function.