Hutchison is to offer Apple’s iPhone in Hong Kong and Macau later this year, the Hong Kong-based company said in a statement this morning. The deal is the latest in a series of similar partnerships brokered by Apple recently aimed at launching the iPhone into new markets. Hutchison is Apple’s second significant operator partner in Asia following its earlier deal with SingTel to launch the iPhone via SingTel affiliated operators in Singapore, India, the Philippines and Australia.

Hutchison did not specify if the launch concerned the current version of the iPhone or the new 3G version, rumoured to be unveiled next month, though Hutchison operates 3G networks in both Hong Kong and Macau. Meanwhile, the launch of the iPhone in China – the world’s largest mobile market in terms of subscribers – appeared to move a step closer this week following reports that Apple has acquired the handwriting software technology of Chinese firm Hanwang. Apple will reportedly use the technology – known as ‘HWPen’ – to enable Chinese characters to be entered on the iPhone. It is already available as a third-party application to download on current iPhones. Apple is believed to still be in talks with China Mobile over the launch of the iPhone in the country.