China network sees iPhone in its future

Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs is interested in developing a version of the iPhone for China Mobile Communications Corp.'s TD-LTE network, the Asian carrier's chairman said

"Jobs has expressed his interest in an LTE iPhone and is willing to start the development at an early date," Chairman Wang Jianzhou said outside of a Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference meeting in Beijing on Friday.

According to Bloolmberg, Carolyn Wu, an Apple spokeswoman in Beijing, didn't immediately respond to an e-mail and phone call seeking comment.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology gave China Mobile, the world's largest carrier by subscribers, approval in December to begin large-scale tests of its fourth-generation TD-LTE network in Shanghai, Hangzhou and four other cities.

The nation's investment in 4G will double to $100 million this year as trials get under way, IHS ISuppli forecasts.