Batteries are cheap. Samsung is the most popular phone in China even tho everyone wants an iphone. HTC is good also. Any brand name phone will do what I want Nokia, Sony etc. I don't use a phone for it's full potential, typing is too hard.

 I have an LC 3D p925. I had one stolen in China. I like the bigger screen and I pick used phones up cheap. 

phone suggestions: iphone 5, Sansnug galaxy note II, Google nexus 4, Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX HD, Nokia Lumia 920,720,520 Sony Xperia z, HTC one, Huawei Ascend P2 (Chinese phone the thinnest in the world), LG optimus F& or F5 and G Pro, Fujitsu Arrows X

Buying a phone in China has some pitfalls

1. Android phones does not have Google Play (app market) With a bit of wizardry you can get around this. If you do not need lots of apps, it may not be a problem for you. 

2. Some phones are not GSM phones, meaning they cannot be used worldwide. Of course if you can live with it only working in China, then that is probably ok. (read up on abbreviations such as GSM, CDMA etc)

I just bought a Samsung Galaxy Advance in Hong Kong for 1600RMB (2000HKD) ...... bought it for my wife ........  now if only I knew how to do anything with it..........  can't show her, if I don't know and doing things in Chinese is, shall we say, a CHALLENGE!!!

How much do you want to spend?

I love HTC...Their new one looks amazing...but expensive I'm sure. Much better compared to Galaxy 4 In the android world its pretty much Samsung vs HTC these days (IMHO). I love Sony (use Vaio & HX9 camera) but their phones are inferior. Samsung would work fine but I don't like their looks or the fact that they are made of plastic...I bought an HTC One S in September and its one sexy mutha, works like one as well. 4.3'' (anything bigger looks like a brick to me), fits in one hand just right. Got it for 2500, you can get it for around 2000 now.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm looking for something around 2000 RMB but I would like to be able to use apps. Has anyone tried a phone with windows 8 in China?

my advice, do not buy a phone in china. . the best type of phone to buy is an android phone. but china does not allow a fully functional version of android. it does not include google play and is therefore useless unless you are chinese. 

if you are dead set on buying a phone in china, get an iphone. but understand an iphone is just for play. it is not very functional for work. and using it at times will make you want to toss it out of the window. it is very limiting, and silly.

i have no experience with win8 phones. my advice is to check them out and possibly go with a win8 phone.

Most things that are on GooglePlay you can find on the Chinese Android markets...HiMarket, 91 etc...I'm using Pleco for Chinese, I think the best one around and free...You can write characters on your phone, hear the pronunciation, save flashcards and then take a test etc., you name it, it has it. Also in Xiamen they have a bus app. I can check when my bus is coming and follow the stops on my phone as well, very useful one Maybe other cities have it as well. What else do you need...Hundreds & hundreds Android apps available in China...same ones as everywhere else:) Not sure about Windows phones or OS. If you ask me, Android is the way to go, its the most flexible. Go to the shop, try 5 phones and pick your choice