The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c may have launched in China, but there's still one notable absence; a China Mobile iPhone. The worlds largest cellular carrier has long been rumored to begin carrying the iPhone, and as the Wall Street Journal reports, things may begin to progress on December 18:
China Mobile Ltd. said it plans to introduce a new brand for mobile services on Dec. 18, raising expectations of an imminent start to its iPhone sales in the country.
There's nothing specifically linking the iPhone to this announcement, but many reports have suggested in the past that China Mobile won't announce the iPhone until after its 4G services had been announced, but as yet no licenses have been issued. Apple has been licensed to run on China Mobile's network with the iPhone, so it seems to be a question of when rather than if.
Finally securing a deal to work with China Mobile would help Apple's chances of expanding in China greatly. The recent device launches have proved that the worlds most populated country is important to Apple, so it'll be interesting to see what may pan out on December 18.
Source: Wall Street Journal