The iPhone is set to release in Asia by 2008, but it now seems that India is getting an advanced taste of the iPhone. There has been no official iPhone launch in India but Bazaars all over the country are now selling unlocked iPhones. It is also available with SBI Cards who are in collaboration with the company Deals4all.

The dealers are defending that they do have official contacts with Apple and that they have been given the proper instructions on how to best unlock the iPhone to make it usable in India.

By June of this year, a lot of people in India have already gotten their hands on the iPhone. They are sold at electronic bazaars and are selling like hotcakes. The iPhones sold are unlocked versions and are able to work with any of the wireless providers in India, all one has to do is to buy a SIM card or use an existing one with the new iPhone.

Apple released a statement that they have no plans of releasing the phone into the Asian market before the year 2008, by then they plan to ship 12 million units and distribute them all over the continent. This is perhaps a marketing mistake on Apple’s part, since

they have under estimated the Smartphone market in Asia. More and more people are becoming conscious of the necessity of owning a Smartphone, which is why making Asia wait for the iPhone may have been a mistake on Apple’s part.

Indian iPhone dealers have been questioned about the legitimacy of the iPhone, but most of them refuse to answer. One in particular is the founder of Deals4all, who has refused to comment on circumstances over which his company got their hands on the iPhone. However, a reporter posing as a customer inquired about it, and he was informed that the iPhones were acquired through direct collaboration from Apple. This fact begs the question: Is the unofficial release of the iPhone in India in some way sanctioned by Apple? Perhaps it is a marketing plot by the company. If so, it is certainly working.

As expected, not all the features of the iPhone are unlocked in India, but some owners are claiming that iPhones available in India have hidden features that make the phone much more interesting than it already is. No matter what the reason is behind the acquisition of the iPhone in India, one thing is certain – owners are truly grateful to get their hands on the new gadget.

Related Posts

Tale of the Missing iPhones

Half of French iPhones unlocked

Pre-register for the 3G iPhone if you are in India

Not too much iPhone hype in India

Unlocked iPhones Finds Its Way Into China