China Mobile has received 1.2 million pre-orders for Apple’s iPhone, ahead of its long-anticipated launch on Friday, CNBC reported.

According to the report, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, described the launch as a “watershed day”. The company saw record iPhone sales in Greater China in its last quarter, with the deal with the world’s largest mobile operator enabling “continuing momentum” in this market.

The Wall Street Journal noted that Cook had told the media that the iPhone launch is set to form part of a broader co-operation between China Mobile and Apple. “Today is a beginning and I think there are lots more things our companies can do together in the future,” he said.

Telecompaper said that iPhone assembler Foxconn has shipped around 1.4 million iPhone 5S devices to China Mobile ahead of the launch.

The China Post reports that China Unicom and China Telecom – which already have the iPhone in their portfolios – have cut prices for the device in recent weeks, in readiness for availability through China Mobile.

But the device still remains costly when compared to Android-powered rivals.