WiFi-less iPhones go on sale in China

 China Unicom, the country's second largest telecom operator after China Mobile, is selling two versions of the iPhone in China under a three-year deal with Apple. But the high price tag remains a deterrent for the average Chinese when clones and lookalikes of the popular iPhone remain ubiquitous in small electronic shops across the country.

Prices range from 4,999 yuan (about $732) for the 8GB 3G model to 6,999 yuan (about $1,025) for the 32GB 3GS phone (sans contract). An iPhone 3GS handset (without connection) costs 4,999 yuan ($733), more than half of the country's per capita urban disposable income, and about 25 percent more than what it sells for in Hong Kong.

In accordance with Chinese government regulations, iPhones in China also lack Wi-Fi capability - a key feature which unsettled many Chinese users who were eager to purchase a genuine iPhone. According to the China Daily, Li Liang, 25, bought an iPhone even though he was not happy that the official handset was not equipped with WiFi.

"I know a lot of fans are like me. They have a touch of iPod, which has WiFi, and they buy an official iPhone that has some localized functions," Li said.

The sale of the iPhone officially kicks off in 285 cities and China Unicom expects to sell at least 5 million devices in the next three years - a figure the company is not willing to confirm yet.