By Sam Oliver

Published: 08:25 AM EST (05:25 AM PST)

Online electronics discount stores in Japan have reportedly been asked by Apple to cease sales of iPods, Macs and other products. Also, China Unicom may cut the price of the iPhone by 1,000 yuan, or nearly $150, in an effort to boost sales.

Japanese resellers halt sale of Apple products

According to a new report from Nikkei, most online electronics stores in Japan have halted sales of iPods, iMacs and more. The companies have reportedly stopped sales at the request of Apple, which is said to be unhappy about the products being sold online at a discounted price.

One store, Yodobashi Camera Co., posted a note on its website to state it stopped selling Apple products at the request of the Cupertino, Calif., company. The retailer, which has 20 brick-and-mortar locations in Japan, said it is still selling Apple products at its stores for customers who shop in-person.

Also cited in the Nikkei report were Yamada Denki Co., Bic Camera Inc., and Kojima Co. All of their Web sites said that Apple products were sold out, not for sale, or only available in a store. However, Amazon.com's Japanese store and Joshin Denki Co. are still offering Apple products.

China Unicom may cut iPhone price

Citing an anonymous source with China Unicom, China Business News reported this week that the carrier may slash the price of the iPhone by 1,000 yuan, or nearly $150. The iPhone debuted last year with a relatively high price of 6,999 yuan.

But after a slow start, sales of the iPhone eventually began to pick up, with more than 100,000 handsets sold by December of 2009.

China Unicom has hoped that the iPhone will help to boost its fledgling 3G network, which debuted alongside Apple's smartphone late last year. This week it was reported that the carrier is also considering reduced rates for subscribers who use 3G devices to further the growth of its high-speed data network.