Could the iPhone finally launch on China Mobile!

Apple @ $663, -$9.60 (-1.43%)

Could be big news here for Apple shareholders if correct.
In a research note from Sterne Agee, Analyst Shaw Wu, suggests that, following a lack of compatibility in previous generations, the next iPhone (surely imminent now), will debut on the worlds biggest mobile network operated by China Mobile.

Interesting that Apple's partnerships with the number 2 and 3 carriers in China gives it access to around 988 million subscribers in the world largest mobile market. 
But launching on China Mobile, the largest incumbent carrier, would give it access to a further 650 million subscribers which, apparently, is a number "almost equal to the combined populations of the U.S, Brazil, and Mexico" (bloomberg.com: IPhone Fails To Gain China Share As Samsung Lead Triples: Tech).

With Apple ranking only 7th in terms of market share of the world's biggest mobile market (allthingsd.com: iPhone Ranked Seventh in China’s Smartphone Market — Watch Out, ZTE), there is obviously a huge prize to play for. 
Putting thing into surprising perspective it appears that smartphones operating Windows have had a greater share of this market that iPhone (www.bgr.com: Windows Phone overtakes iPhone in world’s largest smartphone market).

And although, the comparables will be very tough (due to an extra week in last years Christmas encompassing quarter), it could be that a new wave of momentum is building up in Apple's fortunes with new product announcements in the run-up to Christmas and Chinese New Year!

Related article links:
- http://www.uswitch.com: iPhone 5 to be ‘true world phone’, launching at last on China Mobile, claims analyst
- http://www.bloomberg.com: IPhone Fails To Gain China Share As Samsung Lead Triples: Tech
- http://allthingsd.com: iPhone Ranked Seventh in China’s Smartphone Market — Watch Out, ZTE
- http://www.bgr.com: Windows Phone overtakes iPhone in world’s largest smartphone market