iPhone 3.0 “ChinaBrick” Reference Connected to China Mobile Demands for Disabling Wi-Fi and 3G?
In a move designed to make even notorious Wi-Fi stripper Verizon seem liberal by comparison, China Mobile’s outstanding demand that Apple strip the iPhone of both Wi-Fi and 3G if they want to sell to the worlds largest carrier just got an uncomfortable shot of “maybe” via Apple Insider:
while there’s no concrete information to suggest Apple would agree to make such concessions, references to “ChinaBrick” discovered in betas of iPhone Software 3.0 leave room for debate.
Also at issue, China Mobile wants control of the regional App Store. Without 3G or Wi-Fi, would there even be a point?
And we’d joked about AT&T…
May 15th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
ChinaBrick references usually only included disable of Wifi, not 3g And wifi. http://www.switched.com/tag/chinabrick/
However, it could just as well be a verb, rather than a noun.
The Chinese government may demand a remote bricking function.
May 15th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
The picture for this blog post is racist.
May 15th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Hopefully Apple will stand their ground and just say it’s not worth it.
May 15th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
What a joke. Bloody demanding Chinese people. ChinaBrick must be a terrible carrier.
May 15th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Sorry meant China Mobile. Ugh…bad today today.
May 15th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
@ P
I would not say it’s racist, since China is not a race of people, it’s a nationality. Chinese actually have a mixture of, Malayo-Polynesian, Mongoloid, etc. That being said, the photo is highly demeaning and offensive, most Chinese people are not associated with martial-arts. Clueless ignorant people think that way.
May 15th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
1) China Mobile is out of the Apple deal for an iPhone 3G 2) China’s MIIT approved the first WiFi enabled 3G mobile phone just days ago 3) Apple may (just guessing) have an MIIT approval for a WiFi/WAPI protocol in a made for China iPhone 4) If 3 proves true … no need to brick WiFi in an official iPhone in China
Background > http://idannyb.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/miit-approves-a-wifi-capable-3g-handset/ http://idannyb.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/china’s-ban-on-wifi-enabled-handsets-needs-to-be-lifted/
May 15th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
The image is not racist. I use Superman for the US, Thor for Scandinavia, etc. It’s a heroic cultural icon (and I’m a twice published Chinese martial culture historian)
It’s sad that cultural treasures are not only being ignored but now seen in a negative light. Wushu will die in China and that’s racist and offensive.
Mo hop/wuxia FTW! Lee Siu-Lung hao fai, hao ging! (Just like the iPhone)
Sigh.
May 15th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
I guess the AppStore would still be viable, wouldn’t work directly on the phone – which would be a massive negative.
May 15th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
@Rene:
What’s really sad is you even having to even explain yourself. The so-called racist/demeaning/offensive accusations from a couple of over-reactive, guilt-ridden people isn’t even worthy of a response.
I thought it was quite creative.
May 16th, 2009 at 12:25 am
@Rene:
Very well/creatively said.
I agree with Steve, and it is also sad how we live in a world where people get “offended” by so many minor details these days…
May 16th, 2009 at 1:26 am
ChinaBrick… Brick… That rings a bell. Rumors last year before the unibody MacBooks about the mystery Brick. Remember? Maybe ChinaBrick is the new design, an alu iPhone model for China?
May 16th, 2009 at 4:39 am
It was highly responsible of Rene to respond to those allegations of racism.
An iconic historical figure like Bruce Lee provides a universally recognizable, positive and complimentary association while inviting subtle humor in this instance. It would take quite a bit of creative thinking to see this image in another light.
May 16th, 2009 at 8:33 am
@Dave:
I’m reminded of a reference in a Seinfeld episode where Jerry asks a mailman if he knows of any good Chinese restaurants in the area, but when the mailman turns around it is revealed that he is Chinese and takes offense to Jerry assuming that “honorable Chinaman” must know “rocation of restaurant.” When in fact, Jerry just assumed he would know because he’s a mailman familiar with the area.
People are often offended because they want to be.
May 16th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Superman, Thor, Matrix, LOTR and Steve Jobs. What do all these things have in common… waits a nanosecond They are all the best of what they do. I am sure that Bruce Lee would have only been offended that he wasn’t already featured and beating down Sauron.
Our cultural icons are something to be proud of not ashamed of.
@ oneAwake :most Chinese people are not associated with martial-arts.”
And most Americans can’t fly but cant a girl dream.