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Why You Should Buy iPhone for Rs.31,000 ($720)

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Ok, this might sound a bit weird. But I am going to try to explain why one should be buy 3G for Rs.31,000 ($720) if he is from India. And why he should no look for reasons to buy 3G for Rs.8,500 ($199) in the US and bring it to India hoping that it would be unlocked and jailbroken easily. Here is my reasoning..

Before I put it all up, I would like to reiterate that I’m not new to this world. I had bought the 1st gen way back in Nov 2007 and have been using the unlocked version right from then. I sold it in June 2008 for Rs.16,000 ($400) expecting that 3G might be priced less than $200 and I thought, I would then buy it in the US and bring it back to India. Then I bought another one from eBay on 11th July when I realized that 3G is subsidized only to AT&T customers and its officially going to come to India very soon. And just 3 days back I bought 3G locked to India and was amongst the first buy 3G in Bangalore, India :), read more. I have been using this awesome awesome 3G version from past 3 days now and I am totally convinced that this 3G should be bought in India and through / only. And why 31k is justified fully. Let me begin:

  1. 3G costs Rs.31,000 ($720) in India. The price is almost the same in any other country where has been released and is not subsidized by a local Service Provider.
  2. 3G is the cheapest in the US @ Rs.8,500 ($199). This is because of one big reason. AT&T has the exclusive right to sell 3G in the US and one has to commit for a 2 year contract before purchasing in the US. Now what does this mean, let me explain:
    • On an average mobile phone users have to commit for 1 to 2 year contract with a service provider to get mobile instruments at a subsidized rate. This helps the service provider and the instrument maker to recover the cost in splits over a longer time duration.
    • On an average, a mobile user will have to pay $40-$60 per month for 2 years minimum, if he buys 3G from AT&T. Here is the rate plan on AT&T website, read AT&T plans (type 33311 as zip code if asked).
      So if we take an average of $40 per month which Rs.1720, it comes to Rs.20640 per year. Here you are paying around Rs.8,500($199) + Rs.20,640($480) = Rs.29,197($679) at the end of first year. And this is not the end of it, you will have to keep paying till you want to use 3G.
  3. You must be thinking, why should I commit to pay AT&T for 2 years. I can very well ask my cousin/friend living in the US to buy @ Rs.8,500($199) and break the AT&T contract and send the to India. Here is the catch:
    • 3G with 2 yr contract - $199 ($299 for 16GB)
      + $36 - Activation
      + $175 - Early Termination Fee
      + $70 - One month of service
    • So… 8GB Canceled: $480
      16GB Canceled: $580
      This excludes sales tax on . So add another $20-$35 more.
      Therefore you end up pay ~$520 for 8GIG 3G which comes to Rs.22,360.
  4. Read more… »

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Airtel claims no hacker in the world can crack iPhone 3G

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Engadget has this covered this time, saying that India has claimed that no hacked in the world can hack 3G. Here is what it says - “Even the most deadly hackers on the planet won’t be able to crack the codes that support the ’s applications with rival company SIMs.”

airtel-iphone-india Airtel claims no hacker in the world can crack iPhone 3G

Bharti has worked very closely with Apple to develop “OPERATOR-SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS”, as mentioned by Engadget.

[via - Engadget]

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Airtel and Vodafone put up iPhone 3G price - Rs.31,000

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has updated its 3G page. Sad news is that too has priced 3G’s at Rs.31,000. Here are the page details:

Users:
http://www.airtel.in/iphone3g/

Q: What is the price of ?

  • 8 GB (Black) for Rs
  • 16GB (White & Black) for Rs 36100

Q: Can I use another SIM of with this Handset?

  • Yes you can.

Q: Where can I buy ?

To find a Store - click here

Users:
http://www.vodafone.in/iphone/Pages/iPhone_details.aspx?cid=kar

The 3G is available in 8GB and 16GB at Rs 31,000 and Rs 36,100 respectively. And as you have already pre-registered with us, you can get it before others do. All you need to do is drop in at a select Store between August 20 and 21 and confirm your booking by paying Rs 10000 through cash or credit card.

To book with - click here

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Confirmed - iPhone 3G coming to India on 22nd Aug - Bharti Airtel (UPDATED)

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Breaking News - Economic Times has just confirmed that 3G will be launched at the stroke of midnight on August 21st. If you have been following this post, you would realise how big this news is for so many users of this blog. So cheers guys, 3G is coming to India on the 22nd August which is just 14 days from now. is going to bring to India as per this report on Economic Times. Earlier it was thought that only would bring 3G first and would then follow after 15 days of launch. It might happen that and might launch this phone on the same day.

Anyways, lets rejoice this great news. Here is the excepts from Economic Times article published just a while back:

3G will be available to Indian mobile users through Bharti at the stroke of midnight on August 21. Millions of subscribers will be able to purchase the at ’s Relationship Centres from August 22, a company statement said here. Asked at what price it will be available, Bharti officials declined to give details.

has been an iconic technological revelation of this year and has been at the forefront of innovation and customer delight in the Indian telecom sector,” Sanjay Kapoor, President, Bharti mobile services, said.

[via - Economic Times ]

UPDATE - Was watching NDTV Profit a while back and found this very 3G news flashing. Sanjay Kapoor from , was being interviewed by a reporter. He talked about the launch date and all about 3G in India. Features of 3G etc..etc.. Very cool stuff. Check out NDTV Profit by this evening and you might get to see this interview. 21st August midnight is confirmed guys!!!

UPDATE 2 - Tech2.com has covered this news as well - click here

UPDATE 3 - Bharti has this news flashing on its website - here

UPDATE 4 - 3G is going to cost Rs.31,000 for 8G, its official - click here

More about and India

airtel-india-iphoneindia Confirmed - iPhone 3G coming to India on 22nd Aug - Bharti Airtel (UPDATED) vodafone-india-iphoneindia Confirmed - iPhone 3G coming to India on 22nd Aug - Bharti Airtel (UPDATED)

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Zee Business confirms 22nd Aug as the launch date for iPhone 3G in India - Price Rs.24,000 ($570)

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Thanks to Gaurav again for sharing this breaking news. Zee business exclusive news has just covered launch date and price that would be applicable to India. would be launching 3G in India anywhere between 22nd to 26th August & it will be unsubsidized version & the greatest news is that will cost Rs.24,000 ($570) for 8GB version.

images iPhone 3G will be officially launched in India on August 18

This puts an end to so many rumors floating around from last 2 weeks.

More about and India

airtel-india-iphoneindia Zee Business confirms 22nd Aug as the launch date for iPhone 3G in India - Price Rs.24,000 ($570) vodafone-india-iphoneindia Zee Business confirms 22nd Aug as the launch date for iPhone 3G in India - Price Rs.24,000 ($570)

UPDATE - confirms on 22nd August launch :)). Check out this post.

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iPhone 3G in India would cost Rs.13,000 ($310) - to be launched on 18 Aug.

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I shared this bit of information from Tech2.com last weekend and now comes another one from the same website. Tech2.com is a part of Network 18 group in India and is provides pretty authentic news. This one though is not fully confirmed by these guys, but still I would love to see being sold for Rs.13000 ($310) in India. Here is what Tech2.com has to say:

Some more info to come floating out of the rumor mill is that the price of the phone bundled with will be around Rs 13,000 for the 8GB model. My common sense says to believe this rumor only when it’s confirmed, because it does seem too low a price for the 3G bundled with a plan.

images iPhone 3G will be officially launched in India on August 18

[via - Tech2.com]

More about and India

airtel-india-iphoneindia iPhone 3G in India would cost Rs.13,000 ($310) - to be launched on 18 Aug. vodafone-india-iphoneindia iPhone 3G in India would cost Rs.13,000 ($310) - to be launched on 18 Aug.

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iPhone 3G will be officially launched in India on August 18

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This is just the news we all have been waiting for. Thanks to Gaurav who share with us this information on Tech2.com. will officially launch 3G in India on the 18th of August. And will launch 15 days later, i.e., on the 1st of September.

images iPhone 3G will be officially launched in India on August 18

The pricing details haven’t been shared by either nor yet.

[via - Tech2.com]

More about and India

airtel-india-iphoneindia iPhone 3G will be officially launched in India on August 18 vodafone-india-iphoneindia iPhone 3G will be officially launched in India on August 18

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Book your iPhone with Airtel Now

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Just a while back, I got this mail from India, with the subject ‘The you’ve been waiting for‘.

When I opened the mail, I felt ecstatic. This is what I got to see:

iPhone model
iPhone3G logo
The iphone you've been waiting for.
Coming soon at exclusive Airtel stores in your city. Book your iPhone now.
Book your iPhone now.

But when I clicked on ‘Book your now’, I was completely disappointed. The same form which asked me to fill up the details turned up. It was just a form and there was no mention of how to book the . Nor was there any mention of date of release or any price info.

, we all are waiting for rate and plan details. Are you listning?

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Vodafone India has lauched its first iPhone 3G advertisement campaign

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When I checked Times of India (TOI) this morning, I was pleasantly surprised to see ’s 3G advertisement right on the top the first page of the newspaper. TOI is amongst the largest circulating news paper in India. This ad talks about booking 3G and reserving the handset by sending an SMS ‘’ to 56789 from any handset . There is no mention of the launch date nor any detail on different plans for .

It’s still not clear if will be offering subsidized iPhones to Indians (might cost anywhere between Rs. 9000 to Rs. 14000) or unsubsidized iPhones (anywhere between Rs. 21,000 to Rs. 28,000)

Here is the ad for all you followers in India. This ad has been designed by O&M India:

vodaphone-india-iphoneindia-o-m Vodafone India has lauched its first iPhone 3G advertisement campaign

If Vodafone customers don’t want to send expensive SMS’s, please click here to directly fill in the their details and get notified about the launch and other informations peprtaining to 3G in India.

And if you are a Airtel customer; to receive more information on 3G, send an SMS with keyword “” to 54321 (toll-free).

has online form which could filled as well - Click here to access ’s 3G registration page.

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    About Me

    Hi, I have been using this awesome invention called iPhone in Bangalore, India from November 2007 and have gone nutzzz over this.
    Nuts to an extent that I have started my own blog on iPhone. I will be covering various developments happening around Apple iPhone. Will cover everything and anything which is even remotely connected to the iPhone. But will put more emphasis on iPhone news and buzz from an Indian perspective.