THE price of an iPhone 4S fell in non-authorized shops and outlets on China's mainland after Apple several days ago lifted the limit on the number of handsets a person could buy on its online store while the delivery period has also shortened, Shanghai Daily learned yesterday.

Apple restricted each person to buying not more than two iPhone 4S sets on its online store after it stopped iPhone sales in its retail stores just one day following the model's debut in January. The limit made it difficult for many people to buy the iPhone 4S and propelled the price in the non-authorized outlets and sales channels, or known as the underground market.

A 16GB (gigabyte) iPhone 4S now costs about 5,000 yuan (US$809) in the online shop and electronics shopping malls in Shanghai, close to the official price of 4,988 yuan. It used to cost between 5,600 yuan and 5,800 yuan or even higher.

The delivery time now for the iPhone 4S is one to three days after buying it on Apple China's online store. It was one to two weeks last month.

Market watchers cited the cancellation of the purchase limit and shorter delivery time to Apple boosting supplies of the model.

The iPhone vaulted Apple to No. 6 in China for the first time in the top 10 brand list by the end of 2011, said Analysys International.