China Mobile Accidentally Took iPhone 5S Pre-Orders Ahead Of Official Announcement

seems to have jumped the gun in accepting pre-orders for

latest smartphone. According to

, the Chinese carrier -- which is the largest in the world with more than

-- allowed local customers to pre-order the device, register their names and secure a deal for 4G data. After CNBC questioned China Mobile about the pre-order campaign, the carrier changed the pre-order page from a specific iPhone 5S campaign to a more generic (not Apple specific) promotion. The carrier also claimed that they are still in negotiations with Apple but that a deal has not yet been reached. This is not the first time that signs of a China Mobile pre-order campaign appeared online. One of the firm's subsidiaries

mistake and began taking pre-orders earlier this month. As of this writing, there are no signs of the iPhone on China Mobile's

. Separately, CNBC

that Apple's smartphone market share has quadrupled in China. This growth spurt occurred in October, long before China Mobile accidentally began taking pre-orders for an iPhone it cannot officially sell. In September, Apple held just three percent of China's lucrative smartphone market. The company's share jumped to 12 percent in October, thanks to the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. Both of those phones were released in China on September 20, the same day that they arrived in the United States and other major markets. This marked the first time that Apple sold a new iPhone in China on the day of its American release.

If Apple can raise its market share

China Mobile, it's easy to see why investors are so eager for the two companies to come together. China Mobile is expected to make an

next Wednesday, December 18. Disclosure: