Apple Inc's iPhone may soon be offered by China Mobile as the Chinese carrier revealed its plan to introduce a new brand in December 2013.

Reports said the new brand will be released by tech giant Apple Inc. According to the Wall Street Journal, the new brand of China Mobile will be launched Dec. 18 in time for the 4G global partners conference in Guangzhou.

Mizhuo Securities Analyst Marvin Lo said a confirmed deal with China Mobile will give Apple a significant advantage in China. China Mobile is the largest mobile carrier with the most number of wealthy subscribers. Lo estimated at least 10 percent of China Mobile's 700 million subscribers will be willing to get an iPhone.

China Mobile executives have previously indicated that Apple Inc's iPhone will be likely offered after it has launched a 4G network. Media sources also noted China is planning to bring 4G licences in the next few days. If China Mobile offers the iPhone, Apple Inc. will have access to not only the largest carrier in China but to the whole world.

Canalys Research Director Nicole Peng reported that Apple Inc has ranked fifth in China's smartphone market in the second half of 2013. In the latest figures, Apple surpassed local corporations, Xiaomi and ZTE, since Apple has decided to include China as one of the first countries where iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C were released.

While Apple moved up the ranks, other smartphone brands like Lenovo remained in second place with the same market share in 2012. Although Lenovo has reported an increase of product shipments at 64 percent, its market share remained the same at 13 percent.

Trailing after Lenovo is China Wireless with 11 percent market share and an 85 percent increase in product shipments. Huawei takes the fourth spot, according to the Canalys report, with 9 percent market share. After Apple, Xiaomi and ZTE are in sixth and seventh places.

Apple investors are looking beyond the holiday quarter and continue to hope that the company that disrupted the revolutionized mobile phone industry and popularized tablets can once again create a stellar device to propel its remarkable growth in the previous years.

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