iPhone 3G starting at $700 in India, lines to be nonexistent

Though we can't definitively say this will end up being the priciest iPhone 3G this side of eBay, there's a good chance it will be. Word has it that Vodafone will be offering up Apple's latest 8GB handset for a mind-boggling Rs 31,000 ($712), or Rs 36,100 ($830) for the 16 gigger. Why so serious high? Because neither Vodafone nor Airtel will subsidize the phone, and to add insult to injury, there's not even a 3G highway up and running in India. Grey market operators to capitalize in T-minus 3, 2, 1...

[Via Cellpassion]

[Adhavan @ Aug 20th 2008 1:22AM]

I thought a gettin a iPhone. Now its not even remotely possible

[gabe @ Aug 20th 2008 1:22AM]

what a deal

[Totalfixation @ Aug 20th 2008 3:31AM]

That's it I'm boycotting the next iPhone........ummm maybe if it has copy and paste ill reconsider.

[sandy @ Aug 20th 2008 5:10AM]

One of the reasons for the high price is the import duty - other manufacturers get rid of it by making theirs in india

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Aug 20th 2008 8:58AM]

The only reason it's priced this way because India never offers contracts on it's phones.

[Jeremy K. @ Aug 20th 2008 9:15AM]

What was with Jobs saying it'll be $200 everywhere in the world?

[RC @ Aug 20th 2008 1:23AM]

As long as we keep sending jobs over there they'll be able to afford it....... Eventually.

[Nick @ Aug 20th 2008 1:32AM]

36K is like a three month salary in India for a call center job. Maybe Americans should start paying more for the services so that they can afford American phones :)

[waiownsyou @ Aug 20th 2008 1:59AM]

...or just stop calling Dell support.

[Colin Potter @ Aug 20th 2008 2:08AM]

"...or just stop calling Dell support."

LMAO

[Nitin @ Aug 20th 2008 4:12AM]

Actually I hate the kind of jobs u guys outsource :( but then again it's employment for this huge "skilled" labour force. I ain't sure how r we gonna be a superpower through such jobs. I sincerely hope all these BPO's KPO's etc cripple and close down here.

[KEROLiUKAS @ Aug 20th 2008 1:28AM]

I wouldn't want that anyways when there is a Touch Pro.

[I-phone Is I-sexaayy @ Aug 20th 2008 2:10AM]

hahaha

[desibartender @ Aug 20th 2008 1:41AM]

That's cheap for most people in Indian cities who routinely spend like $600 on their cell phones. In India it is all about showing off. There are too many rich people who will buy this as a toy for their kids. There is no limit to money and stupid people back home.

By the way, the concept of ipod is lost in India. Ipod stands for DAP and nobody seem to care that the original ipod is from a company
called Apple. The Apple brand recognition is almost close to zero apart from the techies who know what that company is.

Lot of people like their crackberries. They are waiting more for the crackberry bold than this thing.

But I do expect this thing to be sold like hot cakes back home. Like I said there is no limit to stupid people who will spend $700 on a
cell phone.

[Adhavan @ Aug 20th 2008 2:09AM]

Stop speakin rubbish. "That's cheap for most people in Indian cities who routinely spend like $600 on their cell phones." This is not even 1% true.

[nikster @ Aug 20th 2008 2:28AM]

Adhavan - how do you know? I am in Thailand where $400/month is considered good income. Yet lots of ppl run around with $600 phones, and all phones are unsubsidized and full price. The phone is the most important status symbol, and if western youth save up for a car, the kids here save up / get loans for their mobile.

There's a large upper-middle class who can afford the latest gadgets. Those guys will all consider an iPhone and not be put off by a $700 price tag. And there is the rich elite, the top 3% - they'll all have iPhones or the next super trendy phone in a heartbeat. One for each kid, etc.

To summarize, even if the average income in a country is very low, there's still a very healthy market for high end phones. That's true in Thailand and probably even more so in India which has 20x as many people.

[Akshay @ Aug 20th 2008 2:30AM]

Actually, he is right though. Depends on the demographic you're talkin about. In all the main city areas, people are used to spend way more cash than the actual price for phones. The MINIMUM expense for a good phone is around $700, so they're used to it. And yeah, its going to sell like hell because it already is. Now that its official, no more unlocking or hacking, people will buy it more. There is a lot of demand for the iPhone, because it is well, the iPhone. The 3G network was supposed to roll out in 2008, guess its delayed to 2009. But there is a lot of demand for more sensible phones such as the Omnia, and a hell lot for BB Bold. Touch Diamond has already sold a lot and Touch Pro is going to be a hit as well.

[Jeff @ Aug 20th 2008 12:32PM]

oohhh Adhavan got schooled!

everyone else in this thread is right, though, Adhavan. just so you know.

[Josh Bradshaw @ Aug 20th 2008 1:41AM]

We are forgetting:
To buy the iPhone outright in Australia Optus want $749/849 for the 8/16GB

[Matthew @ Aug 20th 2008 1:45AM]

Obviously they haven't looked at the Australian prepaid prices. 8GB = $729 16GB=$849 from Optus and Vodaphone is even higher.

[nikster @ Aug 20th 2008 2:41AM]

To add to that: The whole phone subsidy thing seems to be a very hard concept to wrap one's head around. Even engadget doesn't get it - do you think the iPhone is cheaper in the USA than in India, or in Australia at full price?

No, it's not. You just pay those $700 or most likely even more over 2 years. It's like a loan. Do you go around telling yourself that cars cost $1000 because that's the down payment? Same with a phone.

The charges are just hidden away in the subsidy system. That's because the subsidy doubles as a carrier lock in so the carriers have no interest in offering unsubsidized calling plans - the calling plans if you bring your own phone are in most cases just as expensive as when using a subsidized set. In other words, they are grossly overpriced. There is a certain value attached to the lock-in alone but nowhere near the cost of the subsidy.

If you compare calling costs with other countries where there are no subsidies, you will find that calling rates are a whole lot cheaper in those countries. Because you are not paying back the subsidy.

[Sukhminder @ Aug 20th 2008 1:45AM]

Rs. 30,000. That's a year wages for some Indians! (Yes, it's not targeted towards them).

[nikster @ Aug 20th 2008 2:53AM]

Sorry, I replied to the wrong comment. How hard is it to make a commenting system that works?

[happy_penguin @ Aug 20th 2008 6:24AM]

nikster

Your car analogy breaks down because when you buy a car that is all you are buying. When you buy a phone you are also buying service for that phone.

[god_mode @ Aug 20th 2008 1:48AM]

I don't care what you say- $800 for an iPhone is rape.

[nikster @ Aug 20th 2008 2:51AM]

You do know that any decent phone costs $500+ unsubsidized? How much are you putting in your phone plan each year?

[AL @ Aug 20th 2008 4:26AM]

It's not rape if you're willing to pay. It's called supply and demand, a fundamental law in any economic society. The fact is that if you're willing to spend the money, Apple will gladly sell it to you for a high price. In 2000 I paid AUD800 for a Nokia 8850, because I was willing to buy it. If you can't afford it, then too bad - but time will tell if Apple got it right and feel that another buyer is around the corner. If not, well it's only then that you can say that they got the pricing wrong.

The negative that I see in this is that if the price is high, there is a good chance that the theft of iPhones will increase (especially if they're unlocked).

[ryan @ Aug 20th 2008 1:56AM]

you should also check out what we have here in the Philippines - they'll be going for around approx $830/$970 for the prepaid kits that come with $22 of credit for anything (spread across 5 months).

http://www.iphone3g.globe.com.ph/i/i?id=2256650

[captainbarbell @ Aug 20th 2008 11:52AM]

I was about to mention that the Philippine users we're getting raped too but you beat me to it. Although if you think about it, isn't that how much PDAs cost nowadays?

Funny thing is, with the average monthly salary for an office worker in the Philippines being P 20,000 ($ 460 US) you'd still see a lot of people buying them using credit cards with 0% interest over 12 months. All for show I think, for the most part. And it's not a good phone to text with to boot.

[Johan S @ Aug 20th 2008 1:56AM]

The rich elites in India will buy it even if it doesn't have basic phone service.

[kiki @ Aug 20th 2008 4:14PM]

Wifi is efficient, free or low-cost with skype for example, faster than 3G and available everywhere in indian cities

[waiownsyou @ Aug 20th 2008 2:38AM]

Isn't that true for *all* "rich elites"?

[Rupam @ Aug 20th 2008 2:06AM]

Are you kidding me?! $830?
Vodafone / Apple need to seriously get their nuts squeezed.

[saurabh @ Aug 20th 2008 2:06AM]

Its pretty much clear that most ppl who would have had iPhone in India would not have liked it, unless jailbroken, simply because we are so not used to crippled services. Thankfully TRAI does a phenomenal job of protecting consumer interests. Nokia definitely rocks in the Indian market

[heshmati4 @ Aug 20th 2008 2:15AM]

India doesn't even have a 3G network! I don't see huge demand in the iphone in India

[r3loaded @ Aug 20th 2008 4:22AM]

The lack of 3G didn't stop Americans buying the original iPhone.

[Bhavishya Kanjhan @ Aug 20th 2008 5:40AM]

Yes but you have to realise most people who buy the iPhone in India won't buy it for it's additional functionality; they will buy for the bragging rights and the status symbol that comes associated with it.

[Amit @ Aug 20th 2008 2:19AM]

Enough with the "rich and famous people will buy it anyways" comments. What about the not so rich and famous people? There are plenty of them over here!!!. I had heard rumors that it was gonna be 550$....guess they were just rumors. At 700$ a piece, its a total rip-off.

[Kapil @ Aug 20th 2008 2:18AM]

Will wait for some android one. htc/samsung.

[didu @ Aug 20th 2008 2:26AM]

Without 3G there is no I to that phone. Still affordable for as many Indians as anywhere.

[vbtrash @ Aug 20th 2008 2:32AM]

This is what vodafone sent me:

“The iPhone 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 Vodafone Store between August 20 and 21 and confirm your booking by paying Rs 10000 through cash or credit card. Don’t forget to show the iPhone booking SMS, which you would have received from us, when you visit the Vodafone Store to make the deposit.”

I was willing to pay upto 18k.

But, even at 31k, it will sell. People paid upto 40k when the n95 when it was launched last year. Which reminds me, the n96 was launched in India yesterday. They have started taking orders and it will be on the shelves in a few days. The prices haven't been announced, but it's expected to be around the 35k range.

[Reinout @ Aug 20th 2008 2:38AM]

In Belgium the iPhone costs 525eur for the 8gb model. They are also not subsidized because of local laws.
http://iphone3g.mobistar.be/nl/iphone3g.cfm
So that is actually more than 700usd for the iPhone here.

But of course this must mean a hell a lot more in India given the economy/wages there.

[zzz @ Aug 20th 2008 6:25AM]

The cheapest pre-paid iPhone I could find anywhere is being sold in Switzerland. It costs 519 CHF which is roughly 472 dollars. Not a shabby deal if you ask me.

[eztips @ Aug 20th 2008 2:43AM]

How about a magic trick?
I'm going to make this iPhone disappear... WHACK!

[vijay kate @ Aug 20th 2008 2:59AM]

yup, as i'd expected it to be priced in india, $ 700/800. iphone's subsidized in the US, in india only the cheapest of cdma phones come subsidized slightly. that is cus the average monthly usage bill across india might be around $20-40 at the most, or even lesser, also there are no locked in contracts, nobody would go for them. and there's no 3G, though a few metros might get it eventually. still a whole buncha peeps will buy it for showing off value of a slick gizmo. a whole lot own the 1st gen iphone, right from whitin a month's launch way back, unlocked with turbo sim, from china. thankfully, though i'm getting a free, hand-me-down, unlocked 1st gen iphone. it'll sync with my mbp is the eason i'm getting it. either ways 3G iphone here is a bum deal. i mean sold at same price one gets unlocked iphones, but still locked it (i think) and...no 3G

[avis @ Aug 20th 2008 2:47AM]

>>there's not even a 3G highway up and running in India

[avis @ Aug 20th 2008 2:48AM]

[there's not even a 3G highway up and running in India]

never mind, 3G does not work in iPhone anyway, by the time it works, India will have 3G

[Ganesh @ Aug 20th 2008 3:58AM]

This is stupidity. Only rich idiots would pay Rs 31k for a 3G phone when no 3G is available. If you are really crazy about the apple mantra, better get a ipod touch.
Anyway, there are lot of iphone fakes doing brisk business in India. So you can't even flaunt it, most of them will be mistaken as a cheap china phone.

[Venkatesh Balakumar @ Aug 20th 2008 8:20AM]

Why do rich pay this much? most of Indian people have someone in the US who can buy it cheaper..

[mmm @ Aug 20th 2008 3:21AM]

there's not even a 3G highway up and running in India]

It appears that the 3G iPhone does not come with a 3G chipset so they should be OK, Apple have promised to deliver one soon......:)