Smartphone subsidy cuts to lift local firms

Domestic telecom carriers currently squeezed by paying Apple, Samsung

China should end smartphone subsidies to overseas vendors and give more support to local brands, industry insiders said on Tuesday, as telecom carriers pledged to cut operating expenses and Apple Inc gets ready to debut its next-generation iPhone.

Xiang Ligang, a telecom researcher in Beijing, said cutting carriers' subsidies to foreign-made handsets will not only reduce carriers' operating expense but also leave local players with more market demand.