India’s wait for the popular touch-screen gadget, iPhone, would be over before the year-end. The device has, however, been around in the Indian grey market for many months now.
Launch likely around Oct-Nov
NEW DELHI: India’s wait for the popular touch-screen gadget, iPhone, would be over before the year-end. The device has, however, been around in the Indian grey market for many months now. In an announcement on Tuesday, UK-based telecom major Vodafone said that it has signed an agreement with Apple (the creator of iPhone) to sell the gadgets in 10 of its markets, including India, later this year. Industry sources said that iPhone is likely to be rolled out in India around the festival months of October-November.
Besides India, the other markets where iPhone service would be launched by Vodafone include Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey.
Neither Apple nor Vodafone confirmed whether the agreement between the two was exclusive or not for the India market. When contacted, Alan Hely, an Apple spokesperson, told this newspaper, “We are excited to be working with Vodafone to bring the iPhone to the new markets including India later this year.” He added, “We can’t wait to get this revolutionary phone in the hands of even more people around the world.”
Hely did not comment on the price at which iPhone would be available in the market, or whether it was an exclusive arrangement with Vodafone, saying that such information was not available at this point.
Although in the US, AT&T has an exclusive arrangement with Apple for iPhone, this is not true for all the iPhone markets. For instance, in Italy, experts said that at least two operators-Telecom Italia and Vodafone-are likely to share the rights. In India too, Vodafone sharing the rights with other operators cannot be ruled out, sources said.
Indian Cellular Association (ICA) president Pankaj Mohindroo pointed out that by the time iPhone is launched in India around October-November, its price could come down to as low as $200. According to Mohindroo, some handset majors have already lined up competitive products with iPhone’s entry in mind.
iPhone was launched in the US in June 2007 at $599, but within a couple of months the cost was cut to $399. In some other markets like the UK and Germany also, substantial price cuts were announced soon after the launch. After the price cut in the US, Apple CEO Steve Jobs had said, “iPhone is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers. It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone tent.”
m_nivedita@dnaindia.net
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}