Following the introduction of iPhone 3G, Apple chief Steve Jobs told CNBC in an interview that the conspicuous absence of China and Russia in the
over 70 countries receiving the phone was temporary and more a matter of negotiations than any fundamental resistance to a partnership.
"We just didn't have a chance to get close [to a deal] with Russia and China," Jobs tells the broadcaster. "And I think you'll see them happen later this year."
Both countries have been widely seen as two of the most frequent traffickers in bootlegged, unlocked iPhones but have shown little sign of progress in official deals. China Mobile most recently said it
wasn't in negotiations with Apple but is understood to base some of its objections on Apple's insistence on revenue sharing deals, which have since been dropped in favor of a
worldwide subsidy strategy.
At this stage, bringing the iPhone to China hinges mainly on issues with "regulatory bodies," according to Jobs.
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