Apple has reportedly applied for a Chinese network access license for the iPhone, signifying the early launch of Apple iPhone in China.

If Apple gets a nod for the deal, iPhones in China would be available ahead of time.

Though, Apple, which was keen on launching the iPhone in China with Wi-Fi, appears to have agreed to China's demand for iPhone without Wi-Fi as the sample iPhone Apple presented for testing to China's regulatory authorities last week had Wi-Fi disabled.

It is worth mentioning here that China is permitting Wi-Fi on handsets only if they maintain a locally developed security set of rules.

The hand set could finish the tests in about four to six months and receive its network access license before going on sale.

Even though the sale of iPhone is currently illegal in China, the most populas country of the world, yet unlocked iPhones smuggled from abroad are openly sold in Chinese markets. According to an estimate, about 1 million iPhones are already present in China.

Apple said in April that it expected to start iPhone sales in China within the next year.