As the days are passing and the date for the iPhone launch is nearing, I am getting worried. Neither Airtel or Vodafone has any advertisement going live. No update on their outlets or call centers either. No mysterious tips received by us or any info from employees pouring in like last time. This is certainly strange. We are just 7 days away from 9th August.
Unlike last year when Airtel and Vodafone both ran big campaigns before the iPhone 3G launch in India, this year its a very calm approach. Airtel even installed a large iPhone replica LCD at its gallery after the 3G launch.
There can be two reasons for this silence. The low sales of iPhone 3G (proven by the Business Today report and Vodafone promoting Blackberry). Or just that they will announce the iPhone on 9th August with a big bang and start selling immediately (like they did in other Asian countries this time?).
And of course the possibility that the iPhone 3G S is not coming to India on 9th August. There have been reports of iPhone 3G S stock issues with Apple, Apple COO Tim Cook did admit that they stock is an issue, but they are able to meet demand for now.
Update: True Move in Thailand will start accepting registrations for the 3GS from 5th August. However the inventory shall flow only in the last week of August. Its highly possible that the same might be the case with iPhone 3G S in India. Also the pricing in Thailand is equivalent to $720 for a 8GB 3GS. Hope its better in India!
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Its just a baseless rumour that 3GS is going to be launched. How can it be launched on a Sunday??
Its not a movie that will come only on thursdays or fridays ;P
The launch date is worldwide, last time they launched it at MidNight (yes in INDIA). The article puts a doubt coz of the silence that we are seeing before the official launch date.
Its just a baseless rumour that 3GS is going to be launched. How can it be launched on a Sunday?? ie on 9th August.
Maybe its not a question of Sunday or Monday but still some information should be available on either apple or airtel websites atleast a fornight before the actual launch- not mentioning the hue and cry that was there last year for the release of Iphone 3G. Ok the lukewarm response in India for Iphone 3G may have forced Apple to change its marketing strategy for India but dont you think that kind of response should have forced apple to launch a much pronounced campaign than last year. One of the main reasons for the poor response in India is because of the shock felt by misinformed people when the real prices were announced which were nowhere near those which were advertised by News channels. Furthermore, I think that Iphone 3GS price will start above 35K INR and there will not be any reduction in price of Iphone 3G.
i guess the launch will happen on AUG 12th-2009 not sure just a guess lets see ..regarding price i guess might be around 25 to 30 K ..
lets wait and watch ….
i spoke to vodafone officaials and none of them have any info about the product…i think the phone will not be launched on 9th aug… it available in grey market for whopping 45-50k. but i wont prefer that . i prefer buying offical ones cause it has warranty and nice gprs 1 year 500mb package.. i just hope they shock us by launching the product on 9th.. i am very excited and looking forward to buy one.. but by hopes has dies because of silent nature of the opreators
It seems that this time also airtel / vadaphone will launch new iphone 3gs on 21st of august.
but there has to bee some info or pampets… i got the iphone 3g last year and we knew a month back that its gonnna launched in india… here we are not ever sure the phone will be launched in india
It does not sound like the phone is coming out anytime soon, when a date is given in this country I have stopped paying attention. 35K is just a crazy price for this phone, considering Apple sells it to the telcos for just under $500 USD (25K INR). Using my US SS number I purchased one on the Apple website, canceled my contract days after (total cost so far is $400 USD). My 3GS is unlocked and working just great on Aritel;-)
@ Lou Deeezy- Are you kiddin me..for 20k i will take it even if its unlocked..
n u would hv been in US to take that offer
Hi Ankur-
i think u have,like many others,made a mistake by just looking at that screenshot which says india launch in Aug’09.Boss,it meant Aug 2009 and not Aug 9th.Yesterday Truemove Thailand announced their pre-registration and their launch is going to be last week of this month.It’s highly likely to be the same for india too…the next few weeks will make things clearer…
Possible, I certainly agree
yaa i bet it will be 21 august and the banners will be up weeks before launch…but its worth the wait
I Called Istore today, as per them IPhone 3GS would be launched in another 10 days (also the other agent said they are expecting it tobe launched on Aug 21) and its comming with Airtel and Vodafone Network Locked again, no Unlocked IPhone yet (they were sure about this). They were not ready to speak on the Price.
Thx for th update Harsha
*** Very Dissapointing *** I Called Apple India today, as there is a huge shortage in production of Iphone 3gs, IPhone launch in India is delayed, it is expected in September or even could be October as well
To Confirm the Same I Called I Store, even they has to say the same, they confirmed there is no possibility of launch in August. Could be a Month or Two …
i dont think the cannot cancel the order of other countries if there is shortage in their own country,, airtel and vodafone must have paid in advance. but even they are thight lipped nor providing any update.. i am getting fustrated about this whole thing and i really dont wanna but this from grey market and waiting till oct is like loosing interest in product,,, i will go for n97 or blackberry , i have sold my iphone 3g because of this launch date.. but i still have a feeling the product will be launched in august month
check out this links
http://www.revolutioners.com/airtel-vodafone-iphone-3gs-pricing-utter-crap/
http://12kerala.com/story.php?title=iphone-3gs-india-iphone-3g-s-is-coming-to-india-on-9th-august-1
http://www.zillr.com/news/tag/iphone%203gs%20in%20india/
i just spoke to apple sales team toll free no 18004254646 . they have taken my name and mail id and will let me know if they have an update… i think lack of information is big reason iphone is failing in india… nokia creates a big fuzz even they are launching same phone over and over again n95,n96,n97,n82.. they all are same to me
Thx Nikhil
Hello Friends !!! I have been following the iphone 3gs launch dates quite desperately like many of you. I just got a call from one of the prominent delaers from Nagpur telling me that the launch has been conformed for the first week of September. Prices as quoted by him 33k for 16 GB & 38K for 32 GB. And he was confident about what he told me. He took more than a month to let me know the details instead of talking some crap.
Thx Narendra,
Vodafone kerala…..has confirmed that Iphone 3GS wil come out anytime now……. nobody is gettin the launch date because only the apple and vodafone top executives know it and they are not revealing it to anyone……launch is xpected anytime within these 10 days
Aren’t we looking at the wrong place to get news for the iPhone 3GS launch? Instead of checking with Vodafone and Airtel, shouldn’t we checking with staid old BSNL?
there going to be a delay. it’ll probably come out on the first of September or later for vodafone and maybe a little earlier for airtel
It is confirmed that iPhone 3G is discontinued in India. No Vodafone store or Airtel would have it.
Yes,
iPhone 3G is discontinued in India. No Vodafone store or Airtel would have it even i have heard the same..
Then how and where to buy iPhone 3gs?
Univercel is claiming that they sell both iPhone 3Gs and 3G version, can we buy iphone from Univercel.
guys please reply…
Currently 3Gs is selling in grey market at 37k. Latest rumors suggest either a November launch or delay until next year. We are highly unsure, hence not running any new reports on this!