Vodafone Essar and Bharti Airtel will officially launch the smart phone in the fall of 2008 (around September-October during Diwali time). So no longer you have to worry about buying an unlocked iPhone from the grey markets. Since two companies are offering Apple iPhone in India it is a very good thing, not only you will have an option who to buy from but also there will be a price competition between them so the consumers will surely benefit from it. Many of my friends already have an iPhone and it is the coolest thing you can imagine.
Vodafone has signed an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone in India and 10 other countries, in India using Vodafone Essar. Bharti Airtel is bringing the iPhone to India through Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel).
Bharti Airtel Website says:
Soon customers will be able to purchase iPhone 3G at Airtel Relationship Centers. Details of pricing and availability will be announced at a later date. Airtel Customers who wish to receive more information on iPhone can send an SMS with keyword 'iPhone' to 54321 ( tollfree).
Bharti Airtel has already started the advanced booking for the iPhone 3G.
Vodafone India Website says:
Later this year, Vodafone customers in Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey will be able to purchase the iPhone for use on the Vodafone network.
LATEST UPDATE: Pre-register to book your iPhone in Advancehttp://www.vodafone.in/existingusers/iphone/pages/book-iPhone.aspx
8GB and 16GB
- Assisted GPS
- Launch will likely happen on 11th July along with many other countries.
They also took out full page advertisements on the "Times of India" newspapers.
The Indian government has as yet to issue final guidelines on the auction of 3G (third generation telephony) spectrum and licenses in India. The company however cautions that the device offered by Vodafone is currently compatible only with 2G networks, and some of its features may not work in India.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE EXISTING (Unlocked) IPHONE USERS IN INDIA?
That is still to be seen, Apple has many security features built in and if they decide to jam the existing unofficial iPhones in India that will be a matter of concern. Rumors are that when iPhone was launced in Bangkok (Thailand), the unlocked versions jammed. Unlike in other countries, the market of iPhone is already quite big so Apple and other providers have a lot to loose. It remains to be seen what happens. The iPhone normally prevents access to its media player and web features unless it has also been activated as a phone with an authorized carrier.
HOW WELL WILL THE IPHONE WORK IN INDIA?
Again, this is a matter of concern for many, even with just the voice calls the cellphone networks often do not have enough lines always. Cell phone companies will have to upgrade their network for this additional load of data. I have planned to wait for a few months before I buy mine for the same reason.
HOW MUCH WILL IPHONE COST IN INDIA ?
At present, an 8GB iPhone will likely cost around 16,000 rupee (US$400). Some media reports have pegged the price of the iPhone at around US$590 (25,000 rupees for 16 GB) when it launches in India. The iPhone was initially introduced in the United States on June 29, 2007 followed by numerous other countries.
WHAT IS IPHONE AND WHAT ARE ITS POPULAR FEATURES?
iPhone combines three amazing products
1. A mobile phone,
2. A widescreen iPod and
3. A Internet device with Safari browser and supports automatic zooming .
4. Also see - iPhone 3G new features
All combined into into one small, lightweight, handheld device and including features like full-screen web browsing, Wi-Fi connection and multi-touch screen. Media player - You can activate iPhone via Apple iTunes. Visual Voicemail allows you to go directly to any of your messages without listening to the prior messages. Synchronize your computer's contacts, calendars, email accounts, bookmarks, music, photos, videos and more. The iPhone's 2-megapixel camera (but no flash) and has 250 hours of standby time and a longer rated talk time than many other smart phones. The iPhone is not able to use 3G or HSDPA networks, but iPhone 3G launch (for faster internet) is widely anticipated anytime. Apple also developed a separate application to view YouTube videos on the iPhone. Also iPhone implements a virtual keyboard on the touchscreen. It has automatic spell checking and correction. Screen size: 8.9 cm, Weight: 135 g, Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11g), EDGE and Bluetooth 2.0.
REFERENCES:-
Apple.com
Airtel.in
Vodafone.in
business-standard.com
macworld.com/article/134156/2008/06/iphone_india.html
