Apple is preparing to start selling its iPhone 5 in China. The Cupertino-based tech giant has published the press release saying that some of its latest iOS devices are headed for China’s store shelves this month. When will Chinese customers be able to buy official iPhone 5 in China? According to Apple, the sixth-generation smartphone will arrive on December 14^th. As for the debut of iPad mini in China along with the Retina iPad 4, these gadgets will come earlier, on December 7^th. Currently Wi-Fi-only iPad devices are the only Apple tablets that will be officially launched in China. China Telecom iPhone 5 Even though rumors said that the iPhone 5 [TD-SCDMA model is not built yet by Apple] could be approved for the country’s biggest mobile operator China Mobile, those talks still remain only rumors. As to other Chinese companies reports assure that the network access license granted to this smartphone [WCDMA and CDMA-2000 models] approves the device for China Telecom and China Unicom. This means that consumers who will purchase iPhone 5 in China will have to use China Telecom and Unicom data plans. Also there is no news about buy factory unlocked iPhone 5 in Celestial. With the release in China, the sixth-gen Apple smartphone will be available in 48 countries [including Canada, the US, Japan, the UK, France, etc.] while the latest tablet computers are sold in 42 countries currently. Apple Products and Chinese Market It turns out that the Chinese market is very important for the iPad maker. As Tim Cook mentioned, “Demand is off the charts in China.” Thus the release of iPad Mini and iPad 4 in China on December 7^th and iPhone 5 on December 14^th are three events that are highly significant for Apple. The next 2013 year will be framed as China’s year and the Cupertino-based tech giant will have to adapt to the country’s rules and growing demand for smartphones developed by different companies, and not just Apple [Android devices are also becoming more popular in China]. As for the iOS devices that will be soon released in China, consumers will be able to buy them from Apple online and retail stores as well as authorised resellers.