As The Economist went to press, Wachovia, an American bank, and Citic of China were among the names in the frame.

ECONOMIST: Investment banking: Is there a future? | The

While regulatory approval remains the only bottleneck, it should not be a significant worry since China Unicom has mostly been able to schedule its iPhone launches within the three month time frame.

FORBES: China Is Likely To Get iPhone 5 Before The Year End

In his same visit, Cook said he expects China will eventually surpass the United States as its largest market, though he did not give a time frame.

CNN: Apple's share price falls to lowest in nearly a year