No formal iPhone talks yet for China Mobile

According to a report at Shanghaidaily.com, details about issues such as business models and commercialization have prevented China Mobile and Apple Inc. from entering formal talks over the iPhone. This is despite the intention of both parties to cooperate on the matter.

No time frame was specified for the talk on iPhone, China Mobile Chairman Wang Jianzhou said in the report.

"Our door will remain open as long as there is customer demand," said the head of China's largest cellphone carrier in the report.

Wang said China Mobile subscribers currently totaled over 380 million, about 30 percent of the country's total population. The number had been expanding 6 to 7 million per month, mostly fueled by consumers in rural areas.

Apple launched iPhone in the United States last year. The Internet-enabled handheld device is expected to launch this year in Asia.