China greenlights Apple's third-gen iPad for 3G use, China Unicom smiles knowingly

[wraggster]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/05/new-ipad-4g-review-landscape.jpg (http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/china-greenlights-apple-third-gen-ipad-for-3g-use/)Apple's current iPad (http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/16/apple-ipad-review-2012/) is already cleared for China (http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/26/apples-new-ipad-gains-chinese-certification-could-head-to-reta/) in WiFi trim, but those of us who've wanted to roam through Kunming on care-free 3G haven't had any officially approved choices. That's ending soon, as the Chinese government just gave the cellular version (A1430) the all-clear. Like in most parts of the world, Apple's slate won't use LTE (http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/apple-offers-refund-over-australian-4g-ipad-confusion/) given the lack of any established network in the area; HSPA's as good as it will get. The clearance is slightly odd given that the State Administration for Industry and Commerce isleaning in Proview's direction (http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/24/chinese-offical-says-proview-owns-ipad-trademark-in-china-court/) when it comes to iPad trademark ownership. With the iPad still legally available (http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/23/shanghai-court-rejects-ipad-ban/) in the country, though, it's safe to say that official 3G iPad carrier China Unicom is happy to prepare for a rush of customers who want to buy a cellular iPad without using the zipline delivery method (http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/08/smugglers-use-zip-line-and-slingshot-to-sneak-ipads-into-hong-ko/).

http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/china-greenlights-apple-third-gen-ipad-for-3g-use/