iPad Mini, iPhone 5 Coming to China Next Month

Apple announced today that the iPhone 5, as well as its newest iPads, will arrive in China in the coming weeks.

Cupertino's iPad mini and the fourth-gen iPad will be available in the region on Dec. 7, and the iPhone 5 will hit stores in China on Dec. 14. Pricing will be similar to the U.S.; Apple will also offer the iPad 2 for $399.

The new iPads and iPhone 5 will be available online via Apple's website, as well as in Apple Stores. Those who opt to purchase their gadgets in person, however, will have to make a reservation in order to avoid the mad crush of buyers that have . Apple will start accepting reservations on Thursday, Dec. 6 for next-day, in-store pickup between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time.

Reports about the iPhone 5 launching soon in China when a regulatory website said a device resembling the sixth-generation smartphone received approval for a "network access" license in the region.

The iPhone 4S in January, and started selling in March. The third-gen iPad was .

The iPad mini and fourth-gen iPad are currently available in 42 countries, and iPhone 5 is available in 47 countries, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the U.K.

China is a rather large dot on Apple's radar. The company's in the country, a glitch CEO Tim Cook attributed to seasonality, and the lack of new iPad numbers. But by October, Cook told analysts that Apple had a "fantastic quarter" as it relates to China. Sales of the iPad were up 45 percent in the third quarter, while iPhone sales jumped 38 percent, he said.

"That brings us to a full year fiscal year revenue number of $23.8 billion for China which is really phenomenal," Cook said during an Oct. 25 earnings call. "When you think about it, that's up over $10 billion year on year, [or 78 percent], and Greater China now represents about 15 percent of Apple for the fiscal year and so we're extremely happy with how we've done in China."

"We are continuing to invest in our own retail stores there, we continue to expand distribution with channel partners as well, and we continue to see it as a extremely exciting market with more and more people wanting Apple product," Cook said.

For more, see PCMag's and the slideshow above, as well as our reviews of the and .