The Gray Apple goes into a tizzy!
Posted in Object by admin
Most of the high end products are pirated in one form or the other and the same is true where the new Apple 3G is concerned. There are quite a few ‘unofficial’ Apple phones currently available in most of the Asian countries and these phones have already been hacked into and unlocked, so as to allow the purchaser full access to all the high end features. This is what you would normally term as the ‘gray market’, with the Apple launch soon to take place, the gray market and the respective buyers are in a tizzy wondering if their illegal phones are going to the frizzled for good.
Vodaphone has already made a public announcement that it is gearing up to introduce the Apple 3G phone to customers in Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey, who will be able to purchase the iPhone for use on the Vodafone network. The other GSM mobile operator who will be marketing the Apple iPhone in India as well as some parts of Asia will be none other than Bharati Airtel servicing some 62 million mobile subscribers at present. So between Bharati and Vodafone, the Apple product should be available to most of the Mobile phone users in India as well as other parts of the world.
The rumors that have started anew is that the launch is set to take place somewhere around the Diwali season since it is the time when most Indian families indulge in shopping sprees. But rumors aside, as the date for the official launch comes near, the owners of the pirated iPhones are becoming increasingly worried. One, the cost is less, so it may be that the original versions would cost a lot less than the pirated ones. Two, with both Bharati Airtel and Vodafone supporting the iPhone, they may not take kindly to any illegal use of iPhone and may jam their phones. Three, the Apple corp may not find it amusing that illegal versions of its product is being sold over the counter and would want to take action against all the buyers and sellers. So considering everything, the gray market has due cause to be worried.
