i phone update

Apple Offers IPhone in Hong Kong, Macau Via Hutchison (Update1)

By John Liu

May 29 -- Apple Inc., maker of the iPod digital music player, will offer its iPhone handset in Hong Kong and Macau this year to subscribers of Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd.

A more detailed timeframe for sale of the iPhone and pricing will be released later at a public introduction, Hutchison spokeswoman Mickey Shiu said by telephone today from Hong Kong.

The agreement builds on Apple's overseas expansion plans for the iPhone after the touch-screen handset became the second-best selling smart phone in the U.S. within less than a year. Apple has reached similar accords with Vodafone Group Plc and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd.

``It's marginally positive news,'' said Andrew Jobson, an analyst at Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd. in Hong Kong, who rates Hutchison Telecom shares ``hold.'' ``There are lots of places in Europe where the iPhone hasn't really done that well.''

Apple has also discussed introducing the iPhone with China Mobile Ltd., the world's largest phone company by users, and Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc. Vodafone will sell the iPhone in India, Australia, and New Zealand, while SingTel and its affiliates will offer the device in Singapore, India, the Philippines and Australia.

Hutchison rose 2 percent to HK$11.22 on Hong Kong's stock exchange as of 2:36 p.m. local time, headed for their biggest gain in three days.

To contact the reporter on this story: John Liu in Shanghai at [email protected]