iPhone launch on China Mobile met with lukewarm response

Cracking China’s mammoth mobile market may be harder than Apple anticipated. When the latest iPhones were unveiled today by the country’s largest carrier, China Mobile, after years of protracted negotiations–the local response was far less frenzied than the hype that typically surrounds an Apple announcement.

 Apple is counting on a long-awaited agreement with China Mobile, the world’s largest cellular operator, to make major headway in China. But before Apple declares any major degree of success, the technology giant may need to overcome some significant hurdles. A hint of the challenges was apparent on Friday, when customers were finally able to buy iPhones from China Mobile. At a store in Beijing, only about a dozen customers showed up to buy iPhones, despite the appearance of Timothy D. Cook, Apple’s chief executive. It was a far cry from the long lines that usually accompany a big introduction in the United States.