14 DAY TRIAL // In a rare television interview with CNBC, Apple CEO Tim Cook and China Mobile's Chairman Xi Guohua appeared together to say some kind words about each other’s companies and their new partnership to carry the iPhone in the country.
Cook began by saying, “I’m so honored to be doing business with … China Mobile. It’s a huge announcement…we’re incredibly impressed with them, we have deep respect for them, and have had from the very first discussion that we’ve had together.”
In a separate interview with the Wall Street Journal, Cook says, “We've gotten to know each other....today is a beginning, and I think there are lots more things our companies can do together in the future.”
Before the China Mobile deal went down, analysts had projected tens of millions of additional sales, though recent research indicates that China Mobile customers aren’t exactly scooping up the phones.
Neither Cook or Guohua was willing to comment on speculative sales figures, though both of them seemed fairly satisfied with their collaboration.