Chinese language site WPDang yesterday attended an event for the unveiling of the Chinese variants of the Nokia Lumia 720 and 520. The country's biggest operator, China Mobile, will be ranging TD-SCDMA variants (Lumia 720T and 520T), which will be customised with local apps and include the operator's MM Mall app store. The Lumia 720T will also include a built in CMMB mobile TV technology (a Chinese specific broadcast TV technology akin to DVB-SH).

China Unicom, China's second biggest operator, will get WCDMA variants, which will also be customised with local apps and an operator specific app store. Both operators are expected to provide a subsidy for the handsets, which should give them a strong retail start when they go on sale in the coming weeks.

Image Source: WPDang

The inclusion of CMMB mobile TV technology in the Lumia 720T is an interesting addition that should make the handset stand out from some of its competition. CMMB is a broadcast technology, which means it does not use any signal for the content itself (some interactive elements may use data). 

Nokia has previously included the technology in some of its Symbian handsets (e.g. the T7-00) and in a CMMB headset (added CMMB TV functionality to select Symbian handsets). It's also been included in many other manufacturers devices, but the Lumia 720T is the first Windows Phone handset to have the technology. 

The Lumia 520 and 720 are an important part of Nokia's plan to increase its Windows Phone sales in China. Their attractive pricing and market positioning should enable Nokia to fill out its Windows Phone 8 portfolio, something that's vital if the company is to build on its initial success with Windows Phone in China. However, both devices will be competing against lower cost Android devices, underlining the need for the bundling of local-specific services and apps to differentiate the devices and make them more attractive to consumers.